Europe must make migration policies more humane
Strasbourg, 14/04/11 – As
illustrated by the current crisis in North Africa, Europe needs to
establish more humane migration management and improve the treatment
reserved for migrants. The European Union and the Council of Europe
should co-operate more closely on this, ensuring that any EU policy
abides fully by human rights standards”, said today the Council of
Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg, in presenting
the conclusions of the
seminar on the human rights dimensions of migration in Europe
organised in Istanbul on 17-18 February.
“European states have signed readmission agreements with countries which
do not respect international refugee law and human rights standards.
They seek in this way to divert migration flows to third states, thereby
trying to avoid responsibility for any violations of the human rights of
migrants returned to those countries. This is not acceptable. Political
leaders should rather focus on finding fair, durable solutions, with due
respect for the human rights of migrants.”
The Commissioner also underlines that it is absolutely essential that
the EU’s border control-related agency, FRONTEX, be sufficiently
‘protection-sensitive’ and that respect for human rights, including the
right to apply for and to enjoy asylum, be fully safeguarded during
border control operations.
“Migration laws and policies have long-term effects on democratic
societies and go to the heart of the question of Europe’s pluralistic
identity and values. Over-restrictive migration laws and practices have
not and will not manage to deter flows of migrants who seek protection
or decent living conditions. They can only put more lives and human
rights at risk.”
More information on the Commissioner’s work on the human rights of
immigrants, refugees and asylum-seekers can be found on the
thematic page.
Read
the report
Press contact in the Commissioner’s Office:
Stefano Montanari, +33 (0)6 61 14 70 37;
stefano.montanari@coe.int Keep up to date with the Commissioner on
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