The United Nations (UN) human rights experts have expressed serious concerns regarding the role of airlines and aviation authorities in facilitating deportations to Rwanda under a controversial agreement between the UK and Rwanda.
The agreement, coupled with the recently passed “Safety of Rwanda” Bill, has drawn criticism for potentially violating international human rights law. UN experts warn that airlines and aviation authorities participating in these deportations could be complicit in human rights abuses.
“Removing asylum seekers to Rwanda, or any country where they face the risk of refoulement, violates the right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment,” the UN experts stated. Refoulement refers to the forcible return of a person to a country where they could face persecution.
The UN experts emphasize that airlines and aviation authorities have a responsibility to uphold human rights principles. They point to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, which state that businesses, including airlines, must respect human rights.
The UK government’s deportation policy to Rwanda has been highly contested. The House of Commons recently rejected an attempt by the House of Lords to amend the “Safety of Rwanda” Bill, which would allow the deportation of asylum seekers deemed to have entered the UK illegally.
This disagreement highlights the ongoing domestic debate surrounding the policy’s legality and ethics. The UN’s intervention adds another layer of pressure on the UK government, urging it to reconsider its approach to asylum seekers.
