Underlining the “individual and collective capacity” of states to ensure their protection, the Council of Europe reminded its 47 member states on Monday of their “obligations” in terms of welcoming people fleeing Afghanistan.
“Member States should formally commit to managing the arrival of people fleeing the horrific situation in Afghanistan, in accordance with their human rights obligations,” the Commissioner for Human Rights said in a public statement. from the Council of Europe, Dunja Mijatovic.
Moral and legal imperative
“The arrival of Afghans claiming their protection can be a challenge, but it must be met in accordance with the principles of human rights in force, and not be taken as an opportunity to further erode the protection system in Europe,” he said. she added. Dunja Mijatovic called on states to take three measures: speed up and amplify preparations for the arrival of asylum seekers; ensure that the fight against illegal immigration does not come at the expense of human rights; and end the return procedures to Afghanistan.
“Council of Europe member states, many of which have been active in Afghanistan for the past 20 years, not only have a moral and legal imperative to welcome Afghans seeking protection, but they also have the capacity to do so” , concluded Dunja Mijatovic. “Decisions that will undermine human rights, far from being inevitable, will therefore be the result of a lack of political courage.”