Non-refoulement

Alarmed at the increasing frequency of expulsions and pushbacks of refugees and asylum-seekers on Europe's land and sea borders, the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, on Thursday called on European states to investigate and halt these practices.

Ljubljana – The National Assembly determined on Wednesday in a 51:13 vote that changes to the foreigners act tightening up conditions for residence for foreign nationals in Slovenia as well as amendments to the international protection act aiming to prevent asylum law abuses are fit for further debate. Both bills were met with mixed reactions.

Dear 120 human rights organizations, it was with surprise that I read your recent statement to the leaderships of Greece and the European Union, bombastically titled "Protect our laws and humanity!"

In the early morning of May 24, a Turkish journalist fleeing a long prison sentence at home crossed the river dividing Greece and Turkey and claimed asylum in a police station on the other side.

A few hours later, according to two human rights organizations, the journalist, Murat Capan, was still in police custody — but back in Turkey, having been forced to return at gunpoint.

Guy Verhofstadt, leader of the liberal group in the European Parliament, has urged European Commissioner for Migration and Home Affairs Dimitris Avramopoulos to investigate allegations of refoulement of Turkish asylum seekers from Greece to Turkey.

Turkey has promised to protect all asylum-seekers sent back from Europe, not just Syrians, the European Union said on Tuesday, hoping to ease concerns about the main EU strategy to stem the migrant flow into Greece.