The UN's refugee body has accused the UK's Home Office of continuing to misrepresent its support for Britain's controversial Rwanda removal policy, The Guardian newspaper has reported.
The first deportation flights to the African country scheduled for June 14 were grounded at the last minute after the European Court of Human Rights granted interim injunctions to stop deportees being sent there.
A UNHCR assessment that asylum seekers do not have access to “fair and efficient procedures for the determination of refugee status” in Rwanda was at the centre of the European court’s ruling.
A court hearing is scheduled for September to determine the lawfulness of the Rwanda policy.
Before reaching the ECHR, several applications for injunctions had been made at the UK’s High Court and Supreme Court. At the time, the courts heard that the Home Office misled refugees about UN involvement in the UK’s Rwanda plans.
However, recent correspondence between The Guardian and the Home Office revealed that British officials continue to claim that their Rwanda asylum scheme has the support of the UNHCR.
The newspaper was in touch with the Home Office after a critical assessment of the UK’s Rwanda plans was published by the charity Asylos last week.
A Home Office representative responded to the enquiries saying: “Our own assessment of Rwanda has found it is a fundamentally safe and secure country with a track record of supporting asylum seekers, including working with the UN Refugee Agency, which said the country has a safe and protective environment for refugees.
"As part of our partnership, the UK is providing an initial investment of £120 million ($142.3m) to boost the development of Rwanda, including jobs, skills and opportunities, to benefit both migrants and host communities.”
Last year, the UNHCR supported an emergency transit mechanism with the EU, which evacuates the most vulnerable refugees in Libya to Rwanda.
But a representative for the UN agency said that they had “serious concerns with regard to specific shortcomings” in the UK’s asylum processing proposal as well as the African country’s “capacity to offer long-term solutions for those being removed”.
When the UNHCR joined in the proceedings against the Home Office brought by migrants and campaign groups to stop the deportation flights, the court heard that the UNHCR had concerns about the asylum process in Rwanda, including discriminatory access to asylum, a lack of legal representation and interpreters, and difficulties in appealing.
Lawyers for the UN told the courts at the time that it found there had been “inaccuracies” in the way the agency’s views had been described by the Home Office.
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
About RuPay
A homegrown card payment scheme launched by the National Payments Corporation of India and backed by the Reserve Bank of India, the country’s central bank
RuPay process payments between banks and merchants for purchases made with credit or debit cards
It has grown rapidly in India and competes with global payment network firms like MasterCard and Visa.
In India, it can be used at ATMs, for online payments and variations of the card can be used to pay for bus, metro charges, road toll payments
The name blends two words rupee and payment
Some advantages of the network include lower processing fees and transaction costs
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants