Legal Note: UNHCR has Failed to Stand Up for Refugee Rights During Crucial EU-Turkey Deal Judgement

October 2017

This legal note ana­ly­zes the role of UNHCR in a rule of the Coun­cil of Sta­te (Greece’s hig­hest admi­nis­tra­ti­ve court) against appli­ca­ti­ons made by two Syri­an asylum-seekers.

In the two cases, the Coun­cil of Sta­te ruled against the appli­ca­ti­ons that were chal­len­ging the nega­ti­ve decis­i­ons by one of Greece’s Asyl­um Appeals Com­mit­tees that con­side­red Tur­key a ›safe third coun­try‹ for the appli­cants – ther­eby ope­ning the door to for­ci­b­le returns of Syri­an asyl­um see­kers to Tur­key under pro­vi­si­ons of the EU-Tur­key deal. Refu­gee Sup­port Aege­an and PRO ASYL express their deep con­cern about UNHCR’s decis­i­on to stay silent about the vio­la­ti­ons of basic refu­gee rights in the name of the deal.

Com­mis­sio­ned by PRO ASYL Foun­da­ti­on & Refu­gee Sup­port Aegean
For­mat: DIN A4, 7 pages