AYS News Digest 25/10/23: UK government to finally charter flights for Afghan refugees in Pakistan
Palestine — updates and resources // Human Rights Legal Project, Greece, Emergency Fundraising Appeal // European Commission’s letter addressing the MoU between the EU and Tunisia // Germany to ease deportation procedures // Will the UK host refugees from Gaza? // Ocean Viking rescued 29 individuals who had spent eight days at sea after fleeing Libya…
PALESTINE
Updates and online resources
GREECE
Human Rights Legal Project emergency fundraising appeal
RSA has released their new podcast — first episode: “The Farmakonisi case — Justice served after 8 years”
EU
European Commission’s letter addressing the MoU between the EU and Tunisia
There are quite a few areas that are concerning in this letter. It is evident that the majority of funding involved will go towards border and management and returns, rather than the safety of refugees and the protection of their human rights.
SEA/SAR
Trotamar III civil rescue vessel on third rotation to SAR zone off Lampedusa
TROTAMAR III Current position (Sailing vessel, MMSI 211545860) — VesselFinder
Ocean Viking rescued 29 individuals who had spent eight days at sea after fleeing Libya
New rescuer on Ocean Viking, Amber, won the IMRF Award “Women in SAR”
GERMANY
Deportation flight from Munich to Bulgaria set for 26th October
Germany to ease deportation procedures
On Wednesday, the cabinet of the chancellor, Olaf Scholz, supported changes that would ease deportation procedures. It is not yet clear how much of an impact these new rules will make.
If approved by parliament, the measures will abolish pre-deportation notification, increase the period of pre-deportation detention from 10 to 28 days, and widen the scope of police and immigration officers to search properties and establish the identity of a deportee.
Many believe the government is giving in to right-wing rhetoric and the growing anti-migration sentiment across the EU.
Refugee groups accuse Germany of ‘pandering to populists’ with deportation rules — The Irish Times
UK
Will the UK host refugees from Gaza?
A plan, written up by the Refugee Council, Helen Bamber Foundation, Safe Passage International, Doctors of the World, and City of Sanctuary, provides a blueprint for the UK government to implement a family reunification scheme for refugees in Gaza.
Other actions raised include prioritising asylum claims for Palestinians and Israelis already in the UK, and providing emergency medical evacuation. They emphasise these actions should all be alongside creating a safe route to the UK.
A permanent scheme that could be implemented to respond to crises in a consistent manner has also been raised by Lord Dubs.
“Responses to recent major conflicts have resulted in different schemes for different nationalities, all with separate and often complex eligibility criteria and unclear funding regimes. Instead of this ad hoc and inconsistent approach, a standard set of measures to provide safe passage to those who need it should be operationalised as and when a crisis warrants such a response.” — Enver Solomon, Chief Executive of the Refugee Council
Government to finally charter flights for Afghan refugees in Pakistan
Over the next few months, until December, the UK is set to fly Afghan refugees who previously worked with or for the UK government, from Pakistan to the UK.
Many have been waiting over a year in Pakistan, when they initially believed they would need to be there for only a few weeks. The UK instructed these individuals to go to Pakistan to obtain their visas. However, it has been so long that many of their visas have now expired and they risk deportation.
Recent government figures show that around 3,250 men women and children on the UK’s relocation schemes are living in guest houses and hotels in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad.
While in Pakistan, they have no legal access to work and their children are not allowed to go to school.
You can read more here: UK to charter flights for Afghan refugees stuck in Pakistan — BBC News
Discussion over the cost of the Bibby Stockholm
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