Refugee rights activists have described a new Interior Ministry scheme for electronically labeling asylum seekers as “horror”, saying the measure treats people fleeing conflict and persecution as criminals. .
With a 12-month pilot, which began on Wednesday, some people arriving in the UK in small boats or in the back of trucks will be electronically tagged.
They will have to report regularly in person to the authorities and may be subject to curfew or be excluded from certain locations, while failing to do so may result in re-arrest or prosecution.
Critics say the “draconian” measure will do nothing to stop people from taking risky trips to the UK in search of asylum.
Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: “It is appalling that this government intends to treat as criminals men, women and children who have fled war, bloodshed and persecution. .
“This draconian and punitive approach not only shows no compassion for very vulnerable people; it will do nothing to deter those desperately seeking security in the UK. “
The first people to be tagged in the program are likely to be those who avoided deportation to Rwanda this week for prosecution, the BBC reported.
The Interior Ministry said the trial program would test whether electronic control helps maintain regular contact with people on bail and helps them progress their claims more effectively.
It comes after the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) on Tuesday granted a precautionary measure that prevented a rented plane in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, from taking off.
Interior Minister Priti Patel accused the ECHR of having political motives in its “absolutely outrageous” decision.
In an interview with the Telegraph, he said: “You have to look at motivation. How and why did they make that decision? Did it have political motivation? I think it is, absolutely.
“The opaque way this court has worked is absolutely outrageous. That must be questioned.
“We don’t know who the judges are; we don’t know who the panels are; We haven’t actually had a trial, just a press release and a letter saying we can’t move that person under rule 39.
“They have not used this ruling before, which makes you question the motivation and lack of transparency.”
Justice Secretary Dominic Raab has suggested that the new laws could ensure that Strasbourg court’s interim measures could be ignored by the government.
The new figures revealed that the number of people crossing the Channel to reach Britain this year has exceeded 11,000.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has previously said that a “clear majority” of people arriving in the UK on small boats should be considered refugees fleeing conflict or persecution.
While the Secretary of the Interior told parliamentarians and colleagues last year that 70% of the people crossing were “single men who are indeed economic migrants”, and the government has repeatedly referred to them. as “migrants,” UNHCR says government data challenges that claim. .
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On Thursday, 146 people in four small boats were taken to Britain.
The daily number has steadily declined throughout the week after a high of 444 on Tuesday. This was the highest number since 562 on April 14th.
At least 48 people were unloaded in Dover on Thursday.