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Geneva, Following the UK Parliament’s passage of the “Safety of Rwanda” Bill, two high-ranking UN officials have raised serious concerns about its detrimental impact on global responsibility-sharing, human rights, and refugee protection.
According to Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, are urging the UK government to reconsider its plan to transfer asylum-seekers to Rwanda. They suggest that the UK should adopt practical measures to manage irregular refugee and migrant flows in line with international cooperation and human rights law.
The “Safety of Rwanda” Bill, introduced alongside the UK-Rwanda Asylum Partnership Treaty, follows a ruling by the UK’s Supreme Court last year that deemed the proposed transfer of asylum-seekers to Rwanda illegal, citing flaws in the Rwandan system for evaluating asylum claims. Despite this ruling, the new legislation and treaty appear to maintain the same protection gaps highlighted by the Supreme Court. It would also limit the UK courts’ ability to scrutinize removal decisions, giving asylum-seekers little room to appeal even if they face significant risks.
Grandi stated that this legislation represents a departure from the UK’s tradition of providing refuge to those in need, violating the Refugee Convention. He added that protecting refugees requires all nations, not just those neighboring crisis zones, to fulfill their obligations. The arrangement proposed by the UK government undermines international cooperation and sets a troubling global precedent.
Türk echoed these concerns, emphasizing that the UK’s reputation for effective, independent judicial scrutiny is at risk. He urged the UK to implement measures that address the factors driving people to leave their homes and promote responsibility-sharing with European and international partners. A fair, efficient, and well-managed migration and asylum system is crucial, he said, allowing access to protection for those in need while enabling the return of those without a lawful basis to remain.
Acknowledging the challenges posed by irregular refugee and migrant movements, often under perilous conditions, the UN officials nevertheless expressed serious concern that the new legislation could facilitate transfers to Rwanda with limited consideration of individual circumstances or protection risks. They called for the UK to focus on practical cooperation with countries along refugee and migrant routes, strengthening protection, and expanding safe and regular pathways to safety.
Türk warned that by restricting the UK’s judicial scrutiny and limiting access to legal remedies, the new legislation risks eroding the rule of law in the UK and setting a dangerous global precedent. He stressed that all removals from the UK must comply with international human rights and refugee law after thorough individual assessments.
The legislation is part of a broader trend of restrictive UK laws that have reduced access to refugee protection since 2022. If enacted, it could lead to summary deportations to Rwanda, with limited scope for asylum-seekers to challenge removal decisions. The legislation also allows the government to disregard interim protective orders from the European Court of Human Rights.