Reacting to the tragic shipwreck of 24 November, in which at least 27 women, men and children perished in the English Channel, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, addressed both the French and British Home Secretaries in two letters dated 1 December and which were published on Wednesday 8 December.
Ms Mijatović pointed out that there is no framework for people in France under which they can apply for asylum or to invoke the right to stay in the UK.
An option such as this would stop them from being tempted to cross the Channel, she said, adding that France and the UK “exacerbate the situation” by focussing on security, which “ redirects migrants towards the most dangerous routes”.
In particular, the Commissioner has called for: - guaranteeing access to asylum and the fair treatment of applications, “also for those moving across borders irregularly”; - the coordination of rescue at sea; - the implementation of guarantees applicable in the event of return; - respect for human rights, irrespective of the migratory status of the person in question.
She also called on both countries to refrain from “ unduly politicising” the situation and to respect international standards. (Original version in French by Véronique Leblanc)