The ad hoc Sub-Committee responsible for carrying out the fact-finding visit to Sicily (Italy) visited Lampedusa Island and the main island of Sicily on 16, 17 and 18 September, with the aim to look into the situation of migrants, refugees and asylum-seekers, including in hotspots, especially in Lampedusa and in Catania and surroundings.The delegation met with the Prefects of Agrigento and of Catania. It also met with the Commanders of Lampedusa Air Force Detachment, representatives of the Carabinieri, the Italian Army, the Coast Guard authorities, the Tax and Customs Police, and the President of the Juvenile Court of Catania. It also met with representatives of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) and the European Union Asylum Agency (EUAA).
The delegation moreover visited several hotspots and reception centres, for unaccompanied minors, for women and for adults, where it could meet with several organisations operating in such facilities, especially UNHCR, IOM, UNICEF, as well as civil society organisations. The delegation furthermore dedicated several meetings to various civil society organisations.
The Sub-Committee was chaired by Mr Paul Gavan (Ireland, UEL) and included members of the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons, Mr Paulo PISCO (Portugal, SOC), Mr Birgir THÓRARINSSON (Iceland, EPP/CD), and Ms Sandra ZAMPA (Italy, SOC)
Mr Gavan will present his conclusions to the Committee at its meeting in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on 17-18 October.
On 2 July, PACE rapporteur Stephanie Krisper (Austria, ALDE) expressed concern at the decision by the Polish government to enhance the operations of the armed forces, the police and the border guard with the draft law proposing the liberalisation of the firearms use at the border and that soldiers be granted immunity when using such firearms in the border area.
"The draft law risks running counter to human rights obligations of Council of Europe’s member states, including non-derogable rights such as the prohibition of torture,” said Ms Krisper.
"These measures would supplement the ministerial regulation temporarily restricting access to the border area contiguous with Belarus, including for citizens, media, NGOs and parliamentarians, and which has significantly limited public oversight over the respect of human rights standards in this particular border zone.
This decision by the government suggests that pushbacks and the use of firearms against individuals crossing the border will continue unsanctioned, in clear violation of the non-refoulement principle and the right to seek asylum. Non-derogable Convention rights such as the right to life, and the prohibition of torture and inhumane or degrading treatment, may also be at risk.
The Polish government’s policy regarding the situation at the border with Belarus has been negatively assessed by the Polish Ombudsman, the UNHCR, and Polish human rights organisations.
As stressed in Resolution 2555 (2024), ‘policies of deterrence have neither demonstrated their efficiency in enhancing domestic security nor strengthened the protection of civil liberties’. I call on the Polish government to cease work on this draft law and to implement human rights compliant border management policies."
PACE published a practical guide for legislators and other policy makers on how to help Belarusians in exile in Europe. “The Luxembourg Solutions”, a 107-page guide in three languages (English, French and Belarusian) prepared by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), gives policy advice and proposals on topics of direct concern to Belarusians living in exile, including legal entry and stay, threats to freedom of movement and denial of consular services, access to education, pursuing professional careers and entrepreneurship in exile, and preserving and promoting Belarusian cultural identity.
The guide was prepared following a June 2024 conference held in Luxembourg, itself a follow-up to the report “Addressing the specific challenges faced by Belarusians in exile,” prepared by Paul Galles (Luxembourg, EPP/CD), and a resolution on this topic adopted by PACE in June 2023.
It is published alongside "A Guide to Belarus," a literary contribution by award-winning Belarusian writer and journalist Sasha Filipenko, whose works have been translated into more than 15 languages. This piece provides a personal and moving insight into the feelings of the author about the homeland he was forced to leave, and life in exile.
The two publications can be downloaded in PDF format via the links below:
Links
The recommendations by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on the risks of instrumentalising migration during election campaigns have been relayed by academics and journalists ahead of the French legislation elections, stemming from Resolution 2525(2024) adopted on the basis of the report by parliamentarian Pierre-Alain Fridez (Switzerland, SOC).
The association Désinfox Migrations published a factsheet listing a series of policy proposals made by far-rights parties which, when confronted with academic research, prove to be erroneous if not in opposition to the principles of equality of rights enshrined in the French Constitution. This document underlines the important role of the media in contextualising facts as well as political narratives they relay, and reproduces entire paragraphs of Resolution 2525 (2024) on this aspect. The factsheet was circulated to about 200 journalists and to the political parties taking part in the election.
Déinfox Migrations brings together some academics and some journalists. It aims to fight against disinformation so as to contribute to a better-informed public debate on issues pertaining to migration and integration. It considers its mission of particular importance “at a time when manipulation of migration aspects is a major stake in democracies, especially in Europe”.
