Green Party: UK deporting refugees to countries where they were abused is a disgrace

13 March 2017

The Green Party has called the Government’s actions disgraceful, following the news the UK is using EU rules to send asylum seekers back to eastern European countries where they were abused [1].

Refugees have spoken about being assaulted, incarcerated and waterboarded in countries like Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria.

Jonathan Bartley, Green Party co-leader, said:

"It is a disgrace that these refugees have fled war and persecution in their home countries and survived terrible journeys through Europe only to be deported by the UK, a country where they thought they would be safe. The Government knows full well the horrors these people have faced and is choosing to expose them to further trauma. It is becoming complicit in torture, abuse and brutality.

“The crisis in Syria is only worsening with children facing the worst atrocities since the war began [2] and the UK must step up to help the people fleeing this conflict. We must stop sending refugees to countries where they will face abuse, reinstate the Dubs scheme and widen the family reunification rules so families can stay together in the UK.”

Notes:

  1. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/12/the-refugees-uk-wants-to-send-back-to-countries-where-they-were-abused
  2. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/mar/13/syrian-children-pushed-to-brink-worst-atrocities-since-war-began-unicef-report

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