A few days before the first departures are scheduled, the Supreme Court in London has authorized the implementation of the controversial ‘Rwanda plan’. With that plan, the British government wants to send asylum seekers to the East African country so that they can complete their asylum procedure there. With the decision, the court rejected the appeal of various human rights organizations.
The lawyers representing the asylum seekers and human rights groups believed the policy was illegal and demanded that next week’s scheduled flight and future flights be cancelled. In contrast, London’s Supreme Court Justice Jonathan Swift said it was “generally important for the Home Secretary (Priti Patel) to be able to implement immigration control decisions”. Swift labeled the risks to the asylum seekers that the organizations cited as “minor” and “speculation”. The judge also rejected the claim that there are shortcomings in the Rwandan asylum system.
According to British government lawyer Mathew Gullick, 31 migrants will be sent to Rwanda next Tuesday on Tuesday and more flights are expected in the coming months.
“Battle is not over”
The refugee aid organizations were given permission to appeal. The appeals court will hear their arguments on Monday. Sonya Sceats, the head of the organization Freedom From Torture, said she was “disappointed” but stressed that the battle is “far from over”. She promises to use “all available means” to stop the “neo-colonial program”.
Also within the British government, many oppositionists denounce the plan, calling it an attempt to “divert attention” from the political scandals surrounding Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Illegal crossings
UK Home Secretary Priti Patel backs the Supreme Court’s decision. “We will continue preparations for the first flight to Rwanda, along with a series of other measures aimed at reducing the number of small boat crossings,” she said.
In total, up to 130 people were notified that they had to leave the country.
Since the start of the year, more than 10,000 migrants have illegally crossed the Channel to reach the British coast in small boats, a significant increase from the already sky-high figures of previous years.
Rwanda has been led by Paul Kagame since the end of the 1994 genocide, which killed 800,000 people according to the United Nations. NGOs regularly accuse the country of suppressing free speech and political opposition.
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