Les droits de l'homme des immigrants, des réfugiés et des demandeurs d'asile
Partout en Europe s'observent des tendances inquiétantes concernant le traitement réservé aux demandeurs d'asile et aux réfugiés, ainsi qu'aux migrants en situation irrégulière. Les Etats renforcent la surveillance des frontières pour tenter d'empêcher l'entrée de migrants sur leur territoire. Les migrants, y compris les demandeurs d'asile, qui parviennent malgré tout à entrer de façon irrégulière dans les Etats membres du Conseil de l'Europe y sont souvent considérés comme des délinquants et enfermés dans des centres s'apparentant à des prisons, pour être ensuite expulsés dès que possible, même vers des pays où ils risquent la persécution et la torture. Pourtant, quitter un pays et entrer dans un autre sans disposer des autorisations ou documents requis n'est pas un acte criminel et le droit international reconnaît aussi aux migrants en situation irrégulière un certain nombre de droits, qui doivent être respectés.
Soucieux de lutter contre les demandes d'asile abusives, les Etats portent atteinte aux droits des demandeurs d'asile authentiques, qui souvent sont privés de liberté et n'ont pas accès à des procédures d'asile équitables et efficaces.
La Commissaire attire l'attention sur le fait que les enfants migrants représentent actuellement l'un des groupes les plus vulnérables d'Europe : beaucoup sont privés de tout accès aux soins de santé de base et à l'éducation et courent le risque d'être exploités par des passeurs ou des trafiquants.
Publications
Repoussés au-delà des limites: Quatre domaines d’action urgente pour faire cesser les violations des droits de l'homme aux frontières de l’Europe (2022)
Overview of the work of the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe on Migration and Refugee issuesopen/close
April 2012 - March 2018
Priorities: addressing “pushbacks”; detention and criminalisation of migrants; vulnerable groups (children, victims of torture or trafficking, etc.); integration
Country visits in which migration was a focus:
Malta (November 2017)
Sweden (October 2017)
Luxembourg (September 2017)
Switzerland (May 2017)
Slovenia (March 2017)
Greece (July 2016)
Croatia (April 2016)
United Kingdom (January 2016)
Cyprus (December 2015)
Belgium (September 2015)
Germany (April/May 2015)
Bulgaria (February 2015)
France (September 2014)
Netherlands (May 2014)
Denmark (November 2013)
Hungary (July 2014)
Greece (January/February 2013)
Italy (July 2012)
Austria (June 2012)
Ad hoc visits focusing on migration:
Hungary (November 2015) – followed by media work and a 3rd party intervention before the ECtHR
Spain (January 2015) – followed by media work and a 3rd party intervention before the ECtHR
Serbia (November 2013) – followed by letter to Prime Minister
France (October 2013) - visit to Geispolsheim detention centre
Thematic Mission on Syrian refugees (December 2013):
Turkey – Bulgaria – Germany – followed by communications work
“The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” (November 2012)
Letters to national authorities on migration-related issues:
France, President of the National Assembly on asylum proceedings and detention (March 2018)
Italy, Minister of Interior on naval operations in Libyan territorial waters (October 2017)
Slovenia, President of Parliament on amendments Aliens Act, emergency measures preventing asylum applications (January 2017)
Belgium, Secretary of State for Migration and Asylum on resuming child detention (December 2016)
Denmark, Minister for Immigration, Integration and Housing on detention, family reunification, integration, seizure of assets (January 2016)
Greece, Minister of Public Order, Minister for Shipping on collective expulsions (December 2013)
Serbia, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior on rights of asylum seekers (November 2013)
Italy, Mayor of Rome on reception of Roma and migrants (November 2013)
France, Minister of Interior on off-site hearings for detained migrants (October 2013)
Statements
Family reunification (Mother’s Day) (May 2017)
Hungary, automatic detention in transit zones (March 2017)
Luxembourg, child detention (February 2017)
EU-Turkey statement (March 2016)
‘Europe has to change its approach to migration’ (February 2016)
‘European countries’ asylum and migration policies have been disastrous (December 2015)
Spain, adoption of Aliens Act (March 2015)
Lampedusa tragedy (October 2013)
Third Party Interventions before the ECtHR related to migration:
Regarding Dublin returns of asylum seekers from Austria to Hungary (December 2015)
Regarding alleged summary returns of migrants from Spain to Morocco (November 2015)
Issue and Position Papers:
Fighting School Segregation in Europe Through Inclusive Education (position paper) (2017)
Realising the Right to Family Reunification of Refugees in Europe (2017)
Time For Europe to Get Migrant Integration Right (2016)
The Right to Leave a Country (2013)
Human Rights Comments:
Ending restrictions on family reunification: good for refugees, good for host societies (26/10/2017)
High time for states to invest in alternatives to migrant detention (31/01/2017)
Migrants in limbo in Europe have the right to live in dignity (15/11/2016)
Human Rights of Migrant Women and Girls Need to be Better Protected (7/03/2016)
Improving protection for victims of forced labour and human trafficking (12/11/2015)
Without papers but not without rights: the basic social rights of irregular migrants (20/08/2015)
Time to debunk myths and prejudices about Roma migrants in Europe (16/07/2015)
Syrian refugees: Reset needed in Europe’s approach (03/02/2015)
Syria’ s refugees: a neglected human rights crisis in Europe (20/12/2013)
Decisions concerning migrant children must always be based on their best interests (19/09/2013)
Governments should act in the interests of stateless children (15/1/2013)
Restrictions on defenders of migrants’ rights should stop (19/12/2012)
Internally displaced persons in Europe: Another lost generation? (03/09/2012)
Opinion editorials in newspapers related to migration:
Eine Frage der Menschenwürde (a question of human dignity) – on family reunification in Germany, Süddeutsche Zeitung, 24/10/2017
EU-Turkey deal on refugees disregards human rights standards, International New York Times 14/03/2016
EU agreements with third countries must uphold human rights, The Huffington Post, 02/02/2017
Hungary’s Duty to Refugees, International New York Times, 28/09/2016
A ‘to do list’ for the refugee crisis in Europe, Europe’s World, 28/10/2015
Europe can do more to protect refugees, Open Democracy, Berlingske, Index, and others, 02/09/2015
You’re better than this, Europe, New York Times, 29/06/2015
Crisis in the Mediterranean: Europe must change course, Open Democracy, 22/04/2015
Spain cannot legalise what is illegal, Huffington Post Spain, 10/12/2014
Europe, wake up! New Europe, 30/09/2014
Other communications work related to migration:
#Rays of hope series on twitter highlighting civil society actions for solidarity with migrants, 2015
Thunderclap social media campaign on refugee rights running up to the Valletta summit on refugees, 2015
Events organised related to migration:
Roundtable with NHRIs on family reunification (with ENNHRI, 18/10/2017)
Roundtable for human rights defenders working on family reunification (22/06/2017)
Roundtable for human rights defenders working on migrants’ rights (5/10/2012), followed by a human rights comment
Conference presentations and lectures related to migration:
Address at the 1164th Plenary Meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council 16/11/ 2017, Vienna
“Migration Challenges to Human Rights in Europe”, Columbia University, 24/10/2017, New York
Keynote speech at Czech chairmanship conference ‘Immigration Detention of Children, Coming to a Close?’, 25/09/2017
Developments in human rights at local and regional levels, 32nd Session of the Congress of Local and Regional 29/03/2017
“Migration and the Digital Environment: two areas where children’s rights must be better respected”, keynote address at Conference on children’s rights, Tallinn, 4/11/2016
Panel Discussion on EU migration policy, European Society for International Law annual conference, Riga, 09/09/2016
“Empowering Right-Holders: Inclusion, Refugee Protection, the Digital Age” opening speech at the Fundamental Rights Forum 2016 "Rights, Respect, Reality: the Europe of Values in Today's World", Vienna, 22/06/2016
High-Level Panel Discussion, “EU Fundamental Values, Immigration and Integration: A Shared Responsibility,” Netherlands EU Presidency Seminar, 02/02/2016, Strasbourg
Keynote speech at European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI) in Utrecht, 30/11/2015
“Migration, Counterterrorism and Human Rights,” Presentation at a conference on “Towards Dystopian Democracies in Europe and the USA? From prejudice in migration policies to mass surveillance in counter-terrorism operations,” New York University, 22/10/2015, New York
“Human Rights Challenges in Europe: Ukraine and the Migration Crisis,” Center for Strategic and International Studies, 20/10/2015, Washington D.C
“Migration and Asylum: Current Challenges in Europe,” Dialogues de Strasbourg, 13/10/2015, Strasbourg
“Ensuring the rights of migrants in the EU: from vulnerability to empowerment,” FRA conference, 10/11/2014, Rome
“Refugee protection, migration, and human rights in Europe: Notes from the field,” Guest lecture, University College London, 04/03/2014, London
“Immigration: a source of wealth and duties for Europe,” European Economic and Social Committee, 15/03/2013, Brussels
“Addressing the human rights challenges underlying the criminalisation of irregular migrants and national minorities in Europe,” Centre for European Policy Studies seminar, 22/02/2013, Brussels
“Asylum & human rights: Trends and Priorities for Action,” Annual General Conference of the European Council on Refugees and Exiles, 17/10/2012, Dublin.
* All reference to Kosovo, whether to the territory, institutions or population, shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999) and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.
