Top UN officials have raised the alarm over the UK parliament’s approval of the controversial bill that paves the way for the deportation of asylum seekers to Rwanda.
The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill, aimed to deter migrants from entering the UK illegally, was passed after months of wrangling ended in a parliamentary showdown on Monday night.
Filippo Grandi, the UN high commissioner for refugees, and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, in a joint statement on Tuesday called on the UK government to reconsider its plan, which they warned would have a “harmful impact” on human rights and refugee protection.
Mr Grandi said the arrangement with Rwanda seeks to shift responsibility for refugee protection and that the legislation marks a “breach of the Refugee Convention”.
On his part, Mr Turk said it “seriously hinders the rule of law in the UK and sets a perilous precedent globally”.
Charities have also hit out at the scheme, with leading human rights groups describing it as a “breach of international law”.
But Rwanda said it was “pleased” by the approval of the bill and “look[s] forward to welcoming those relocated to Kigali,” according to Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo.
Rishi Sunak, the UK prime minister, described the bill as “landmark legislation”, saying flights to Rwanda would take off within 10 to 12 weeks.
