23 February 2012
"Court ruling on odious Italy-Libya deal has clear implications for EU migration and border policies"
Support our work: become a Friend of Statewatch from as little as £1/€1 per month.
23.02.2012 Greens EFA's press release: Court ruling on odious Italy-Libya deal has clear implications for EU migration and border policies
"The European Court of Human Rights today ruled that Italy violated the rights of migrants by sending them back to Libya under the terms of a bilateral agreement in 2009. The Greens welcomed the ruling and pointed to the implications it has for new EU proposals on border surveillance and control. Commenting on this, Green migration spokesperson Ska Keller said:
"Today's ruling is a belated but necessary rebuke for the odious and inhuman approach of the Italian government to migrant returns. The use of collective returns, via agreement with a third country, with no regard for the basic rights of the affected migrants, is one of the more shameful episodes in recent European immigration policies. However, the ruling should also be a warning for EU-level policy.
"Recent EU proposals on border surveillance (EUROSUR) also foresee agreements with third countries and would imply FRONTEX using high tech surveillance with a view to forcing migrant boats back across the open sea, with all the risks this entails. Today's court ruling has highlighted the conflicts of such an approach with the European Convention on Human Rights, both as regards collective returns and the inhumanity of forcing boats back to third countries.
"Instead of focusing all effort on border controls and migrant returns, with scant regard for human rights, EU member states should instead be addressing the reasons why people are forced to migrate, as well as working on the long overdue need to improve EU asylum and immigrations systems.""
Spotted an error? If you've spotted a problem with this page, just click once to let us know.
Statewatch does not have a corporate view, nor does it seek to create one, the views expressed are those of the author. Statewatch is not responsible for the content of external websites and inclusion of a link does not constitute an endorsement. Registered UK charity number: 1154784. Registered UK company number: 08480724. Registered company name: The Libertarian Research & Education Trust. Registered office: MayDay Rooms, 88 Fleet Street, London EC4Y 1DH. © Statewatch ISSN 1756-851X. Personal usage as private individuals "fair dealing" is allowed. We also welcome links to material on our site. Usage by those working for organisations is allowed only if the organisation holds an appropriate licence from the relevant reprographic rights organisation (eg: Copyright Licensing Agency in the UK) with such usage being subject to the terms and conditions of that licence and to local copyright law.