This website uses cookies for anonymised analytics and for account authentication. See our privacy and cookies policies for more information.





The voice of Scotland’s vibrant voluntary sector

Published by Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations

TFN is published by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, Mansfield Traquair Centre, 15 Mansfield Place, Edinburgh, EH3 6BB. The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation. Registration number SC003558.

Charities granted permission to appeal Rwanda ruling

This news post is about 1 year old
 

Groups including Care4Calais and Detention Action will continue their fight in court.

Charities and asylum seekers have been granted permission to appeal a ruling that stated the UK Government’s plans to deport refugees to Rwanda. 

In December, judges ruled that the policy was legal, though it did reject the request for eight asylum seekers to be transferred to the country. 

Charities, including Care4Calais, applied for permission to appeal the courts judgement, which has now been granted.

The first planned deportation flight to Rwanda was blocked in June last year by the European Court of Human Rights, which imposed an injunction preventing any deportations until the conclusion of legal action.

The original legal challenge was brought forward by Care4Calais, the Public and Commercial Services Union, Detention Action, and eight asylum seekers, along with a second case from Asylum Aid.

Lawyers argued that the move was unlawful and raised concerns about Rwanda’s human rights record. 

However, the UK Government argued that the agreement between the two countries provides reassurances. 

Clare Moseley, the founder of refugee charity Care4Calais said:“We are pleased that permission to appeal has been granted to the individuals on a number of grounds and that the case will go forward. 

“We are disappointed that the court has not recognised our standing to represent the people we support and we will be discussing further appeals with our lawyers. 

“We remain committed to ensuring that no person who has suffered the horrors of war, torture and human rights abuses will be forcibly deported to Rwanda where their safety cannot be guaranteed. 

“The people we work with in Calais come from countries such as Afghanistan, Iran, Syria and Sudan that have asylum acceptance rates that are as high as 82 - 98%. 

“They are people who have escaped from the very worst things in this world and they urgently need our help. The Rwanda plan won’t end small boat crossings, it won’t stop people smugglers and it won’t keep refugees safe. 

“There is a kinder and more effective way; giving safe passage to refugees in Calais.”