Bulgaria urged to clamp down on xenophobic violence against migrants and refugees

6th December 2013 | News

This week Amnesty International and the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (BHC) have called on the Bulgarian authorities to take all necessary measures to protect migrants and refugees and to investigate crimes committed against them. The call comes after two Syrian...

Fair Trials: States abusing Interpol’s ‘wanted person’ alert systems to persecute refugees and activists

2nd December 2013 | News

A report published this week by Fair Trials International entitled “Strengthening respect for human rights, strengthening Interpol” highlights that certain countries are using Interpol’s ‘red notice’ system against exiled political opponents. Interpol is the world’s...

Survivors of ‘left to die’ boat accuse the Belgian army of failing to aid persons in distress

2nd December 2013 | News

This week, three of the nine survivors of the tragedy that in April 2011 claimed the lives of 63 refugees who were left to die at sea have filed a complaint at the Brussels Tribunal of First Instance against the Belgian army for failing to provide assistance to...

Medici per i Diritti Umani denounces push backs from Italy to Greece

2nd December 2013 | News

In a new report, Medici per I Diritti Humani (Doctors for Human Rights) has documented over a hundred accounts of push-backs of migrants and asylum seekers from the Italian Adriatic ports to Greece, under a readmission agreement between the two countries. The...

UN Committee against Torture criticises Belgium’s detention of asylum seekers in ‘Dublin’ procedures

2nd December 2013 | News

In its Concluding Observations and Recommendations on Belgium published this week, the Committee Against Torture (CAT) acknowledged Belgium’s efforts to improve the situation for asylum seekers and refugees since the last report, but expressed concern regarding the...

Child detention and lack of legal assistance for asylum seekers in Poland criticised by Committee against Torture

2nd December 2013 | News

On 19 November, the Committee against Torture provided its concluding observations and recommendations on Poland’s implementation of the Convention against Torture. The Committee recommends that Poland guarantees fair treatment of asylum seekers at all stage of...

The scars of war on Syria’s children

2nd December 2013 | News

UNHCR research published today has found that Syrian refugee children are out of school, either working as breadwinners or confined to their homes, which are often crammed apartments, makeshift shelters or tents. The research, conducted in Lebanon and Jordan over four...

EU withholds visa waiver for Ukraine and Georgia until problems with asylum systems are resolved

2nd December 2013 | News

As part of the EU’s Eastern Partnership, the European Commission is engaged in ‘Visa Liberalisation Dialogues’ with Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Belarus, Azerbaijan and Armenia. Before the visa requirement to enter the EU can be waived for citizens of these countries,...

ECRE/ELENA publishes Information Note on Syrians seeking protection in Europe

2nd December 2013 | News

The ECRE/ELENA Information Note on Syrians seeking protection in Europe, originally published on 29 November 2013, now incorporates information concerning the decision by the Swiss government on 29 November 2013 to end visa facilitation for non-immediate family...

EU adopts budget for 2014

22nd November 2013 | News

The EU has adopted this week the budget for 2014 and the Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2014-2020. While the budget of the EU Borders Agency Frontex has been increased by 2 million Euros, the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) will receive 130,000 extra...