21.01.11
The European Court of Human Rights has ruled on the issue of forced transfers to Greece – stating that transfers are in conflict with the European Convention on Human Rights. The Danish Refugee Council has raised 350 asylum cases before the court and calls upon the Danish authorities to start an asylum treatment in light of the judgement.
The ECHR judgement was reached in a case of an Afghan asylum seeker returned from Belgium to Greece through the Dublin Regulation. The judgement states that the living- and prison conditions facing asylum seekers in Greece are in conflict with the European Convention on Human Rights Article 3, against torture and inhuman treatment. Therefore, the transfer of asylum seekers from Belgium would be a violation of the Convention. The Danish Refugee Council is of the opinion that the same will apply in other European countries that have signed the Convention on Human Rights.
"The Danish Refugee Council believes that the Court's decision means that neither Belgium or other European countries can send asylum seekers back to Greece. Therefore, it is now essential to have their cases processed. We must not end up in a situation where asylum seekers across Europe are left in a limbo situation for years, and we urge the Danish authorities to start an asylum procedure," says Secretary General of the Danish Refugee Council, Andreas Kamm.
The Dublin Regulation stipulates that asylum seekers should have their cases processed in the first EU country they reach. It will in most cases be Greece with its Mediterranean coast and border with Turkey that has become the gateway to Europe.
"The Dublin Regulation is a necessary tool, but the precondition is of course a functioning asylum system in the country receiving asylum seekers. The situation in Greece has been out of control for years and asylum seekers' rights are violated systematically. For that reason, we are satisfied with the decision," says Andreas Kamm.
Since the Danish authorities resumed returns to Greece in May 2010, the Danish Refugee Council has systematically presentented all individual cases before the European Court Human Rights.
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