Brussels, 16/06/2008 (Agence Europe) - The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN) has called on MEPs not to vote for the returns directive which it feels to be “unacceptable” since it believe it could be the cause of human rights violations.
The European Parliament is due to vote on the compromise text (see EUROEP 9676) on 17 June. The EMHRN rejects its arrangements on length of detention, the re-entry ban and the treatment of vulnerable persons and unaccompanied minors. Aligning itself with many civil and parliamentary human rights groups, the EMHRN says that, as it stands, the draft directive “does not protect the rights of the 'returnees'; quite the contrary. The current text doesn't establish sufficient norms in terms of protection of rights”. It does not “respect international guidelines such as the Council of Europe 'twenty principles on forcible returns'”. In addition, the EMHRN notes that “forcible return to countries through which migrants have transited before entering the EU territory, and this even if they have no established ties there, can be implemented”. “No North African nor Middle Eastern country - ie the main transit countries for migration originating from Southern Europe - can ensure the protection of the rights of migrants,” the network says.
The EMHRN is critical of these countries for their treatment of deported persons. “Arbitrary detention and torture are commonly used in many of them. Further, almost all the legislations of these countries criminalise the stay and the illegal crossing of their borders. The laws in force in these countries envisage sentences going sometimes up to one year imprisonment, accompanied by fines.” The EMHRN says, therefore, that “By returning migrants to transit countries rather than to their countries of origin or of habitual residence, not only does the EU transfer their responsibility of taking charge of them to countries that don't have the means to do so, but it also and especially puts them in a situation where they risk to have their rights violated”. (F.B./transl.rt)