The interior ministry has acknowledged that lesbian, gay and bisexual refugees could be prosecuted if sent to Rwanda, but still plans to fly 4,000 miles to Kigali.
The Equality Policy Impact Assessment indicates that there are “concerns” about the treatment of some LGBTQ + people in the East African country and that investigations show that “ill-treatment” of this group is “more than one-off”.
This comes a day after the Interior Ministry said the first group of people would be informed this week of the government’s intention to relocate them to Rwanda. The first flights are expected to take place in the coming months, he said, adding that lawyers for some of those affected are likely to begin proceedings to suspend their removal.
A report released Monday said the assessment said “there are concerns about the treatment of some LGBTQ + people, but we will continue to look at the impact on this group and take into account further evidence in the course of the partnership”.
The report notes that homosexuality was decriminalized in 2010, but warns: “At this stage, investigations show that the abuse is more than one-off, but it does not seem to be systematic.
The Government’s assessment of the human rights situation in Rwanda states that “there are no substantial grounds” to believe that they would be at risk of treatment contrary to Article 3 (freedom from torture and inhuman or degrading treatment) of the European Convention. on human rights in Rwanda.
At the same time, the Foreign Ministry’s travel councils to Rwanda state that “individuals can be discriminated against and abused, including by local authorities.” There are no specific anti-discrimination laws to protect LGBT people. “
Lewis Mudge, Human Rights Watch’s director for Central Africa, said the risk assessment was an unrealistic assessment for a country with a poor human rights record.
“The report of the Ministry of Interior is read as a serious wish and it seems that they are changing the facts to justify a pre-determined conclusion. From the claim that refugees are not a target for freedom of expression – when Congolese refugees rot in prison because they protest against living conditions – to the claim that LGBT people will not risk serious injury in Rwanda – when the evidence we gathered have detained LGBTI people who have been beaten, insulted and harassed for their sexual identity. ”
“This report is not based on reality. The Rwandan government has a terrible experience when it comes to guaranteeing internationally recognized rights, statues and refugee protocols. It is difficult to imagine a less real assessment of the shocking human rights in Rwanda, “he said.
In another document released Monday night, the government said it could send notifications of intent to those coming to the UK without permission to warn them they could be sent to Rwanda.
The draft letter said: “I am writing to inform you how your request for protection is being managed. We have evidence that before you sought asylum in the United Kingdom, you attended or had contact with [name the safe country or countries]. This may have implications for whether your application has been accepted into the UK asylum system.
“We can also ask Rwanda, another country we consider safe, if it will accept you under the terms of the Migration and Economic Development Partnership between Rwanda and the United Kingdom.
Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said letters threatening Rwanda would cause many of those waiting to have their claims processed to disappear and go into hiding from the UK authorities.
Sign up for the First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every weekday morning at 7am BST
“The government is not fulfilling its obligation to care for people in the asylum system by not recognizing the devastating impact that the threat of deportation to Rwanda has on them.
“The process he is introducing has no compassion and demonstrates an inability to see the person behind the case. “This shows how this government simply wants to treat vulnerable people who have fled war and oppression as a human burden to be transported thousands of miles away from sight and mind,” he said.
The Ministry of the Interior was contacted for comment.
Add Comment