First modification:
The flight was canceled just minutes after the plane’s engines were started and cabin crew were seen boarding. Despite the sentence that stopped the flight, the British government assured that it will continue with its plan to deport immigrants to the West African country.
At the last minute the flight did not take off. It was a court order issued by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) that prevented the first UK flight to take asylum seekers to Rwanda from being ineffective.
Just 10 migrants were to fly from an air force base in south-west England on Tuesday, after at least 30 people who were also scheduled to go to Rwanda successfully argued that they should not be deported on health or protection grounds. to their fundamental rights.
Babies and children were among dozens of migrants arriving at the port of Dover after attempting to cross the English Channel. The European Court of Human Rights stopped a UK flight to sport asylum seekers to Rwanda from taking off at the last minute https://t.co/aIXAYCJfk8 pic.twitter.com/KvAtgyd04D
— Reuters (@Reuters) June 15, 2022
“I have always said that this policy will not be easy to carry out and I am disappointed that the legal challenge and last minute claims have meant that today’s flight has not been able to leave,” said the UK Home Secretary, Priti. Patell.
In April, the British Government had reached an agreement with Rwanda for 148 million dollars, with the aim of stopping the flow of dangerous trips through the English Channel and, in turn, ending the business model of the networks people smuggling.
UK and Rwanda close deal to relocate asylum seekers
The UK’s plan to deport asylum seekers to the African country has drawn criticism from opponents within the government, human rights organizations and religious leaders, who argue the decision is “inhumane” and “appalling”.
However, the British Executive has assured that it will not be “deterred by the accusations” and will prepare for the next flight as soon as possible.
“It’s true that … the legal world is very good at finding ways to try to stop the government from upholding what we think is sensible law … Will some laws need to be changed to help us move forward? Quite possibly yes, and all these options are under constant review,” said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
The most recent official figures report that more than 28,500 people arrived in the UK last year in makeshift boats.
The British Government assures that its plan will end this problem; however, human rights groups and the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) assure that the project will not come to fruition and that “Rwanda has a human rights record under scrutiny and does not have the capacity to process the requests properly.
With Reuters and AP
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