The Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania has made a pivotal decision to accept a class action lawsuit filed by 24 asylum seekers who claim they were unlawfully detained by Lithuanian authorities between 2021 and 2022. This development has been praised by Amnesty International as a significant step toward justice and reparation for those who have…
Amnesty International has raised alarms over the imminent extradition of Syrian refugee and activist Mohamad Alkayali from Türkiye, urging Turkish authorities to immediately halt the process and release him from detention. Amnesty cautions that returning Alkayali to Saudi Arabia could lead to severe human rights violations, including arbitrary detention, an unfair trial, and potential torture…
Poland’s recent decision to suspend the right to asylum for migrants arriving from Belarus has sparked significant discussion and criticism amidst the European and international legal communities. On Thursday, the Polish Council of Ministers adopted a regulation that enforces a 60-day restriction on the right to asylum at the border with Belarus. This decision was…
In a notable move reflecting the changing landscape of international research collaboration, thirteen European Union member countries have taken a step to offer what is being termed “scientific asylum” to researchers affected by policy shifts under the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump. This initiative follows concerns regarding the defunding of certain areas within…
In a recent development, Amnesty International has voiced strong criticism against the United States for the deportation of 238 Venezuelan nationals to El Salvador. The rights organization argues that this action not only endangers the lives of the migrants but also defies a court order intended to protect them from removal. This order was designed…
In anticipation of the federal elections in May, a coalition of over 35 human rights organizations has addressed an open letter to the leaders of Australia’s three major political parties, advocating for a “civil and respectful discourse” regarding refugees and asylum seekers. The plea, underscored by the letter, insists on the necessity of discussions that…
As a Thai delegation embarks on a visit to Xinjiang, Human Rights Watch is calling on Thailand to demand unrestricted access to Uyghur deportees during their stay in China from March 18 to 20, 2025. The visit follows widespread international condemnation over Thailand’s deportation of 40 Uyghur asylum seekers back to China in February, an…
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has condemned the European Union’s proposed “Returns Regulation” for undocumented migrants, labeling it as “cruel and unrealistic”. The regulation, which aims to standardize return procedures across member states, is being criticized for its provisions allowing extended periods of detention and stricter treatment of migrants. The European Commission, in advocating for the…
A recent decision by a U.S. federal judge in Massachusetts has sustained a previous ruling that blocks the enforcement of an executive order issued by former President Donald Trump, which sought to end birthright citizenship. The decision came on Tuesday, when the court denied the Trump administration’s motion to stay a preliminary injunction initially granted…
A coalition of twenty human rights organizations is urging Bulgarian authorities to halt the deportation of Abdulrahman al-Khalidi, a Saudi human rights activist, back to Saudi Arabia. These organizations argue that al-Khalidi, who has been an advocate for human rights and prisoners’ rights for over ten years, should instead be allowed safe passage to a…
The Rwandan government is pursuing legal action to seek £50 million in damages from the United Kingdom following the recent cancellation of a controversial migrant transfer scheme. The scheme, intended to process asylum seekers in Rwanda after denial of their claims in the UK, has faced significant backlash due to human rights concerns and international…
The European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) recently announced a decline in asylum applications across the EU+ region, comprising EU member states, Norway, and Switzerland, with a decrease of 11 percent in 2024 compared to the previous year. This reduction interrupted a three-year trend where applications had consistently exceeded one million annually. The EUAA report…
Amnesty International has called upon the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to take a definitive stance against the forced return of Eritrean refugees during the council’s 58th session, which delved into the prevailing human rights challenges in Eritrea. The organization underscored the perilous conditions that Eritrean refugees face, both in their homeland and in…
In a significant move within the legal landscape, Anjali Motgi has joined Jenner & Block as a partner in its litigation department based in Washington, D.C. This transition from her role at the Department of Justice underscores her deep expertise in various challenging legal domains. Motgi’s extensive background includes litigation under the Administrative Procedures Act,…
The recent decision by the U.S. Department of Justice to dismiss 20 immigration judges, including five from Texas, has sparked significant concern regarding the existing backlog of immigration cases. As detailed in a report, these firings include 13 judges in training and 5 assistant chief immigration judges. This move occurs amid a record high of…
Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has publicly defended the recent deportation of 40 Uyghurs to China, despite widespread international condemnation. On Monday, Shinawatra asserted that the deportations were conducted in line with human rights standards, referencing images released by Chinese authorities which she claimed showed the group would be well cared for in China. Her…
Civil rights organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), have filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging the transfer of immigrants to the US Naval Station at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. The plaintiffs, comprised of the ACLU, Center for Constitutional Rights, International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), and the ACLU of the District of…
The recent deportation of 40 Uyghur asylum seekers from Thailand to China has ignited significant concern among human rights organizations and international bodies. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has openly condemned this action, citing it as a violation of both domestic and international human rights laws. Despite repeated requests for access to the…
International scrutiny over Egypt’s treatment of Sudanese refugees is intensifying as concerns mount regarding deteriorating conditions and restrictive asylum laws that critics argue undermine refugee rights. Refugees International has issued a plea for immediate international intervention in response to alarming findings outlined in their report, “No Model of Refuge.” This report sheds light on the…
The contentious policies at the U.S.-Mexico border have yet again surfaced as a focal point of human rights concerns, following Amnesty International’s recent condemnation of the U.S. government’s actions. Amnesty’s report highlights the systemic erosion of the right to apply for asylum at this critical border, accusing the U.S. of breaching both national and international…
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has issued a statement urging the Polish government to reject a proposed bill that aims to temporarily suspend asylum rights at Poland’s border with Belarus. This legislative measure would authorize the Polish government to halt asylum applications in specified border areas for an initial period of sixty days, with the option…
A federal judge in Maryland has maintained a nationwide injunction that prevents the enforcement of former President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at restricting birthright citizenship. This decision is rooted in the expansive reach of the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project, which boasts a membership of 680,000 people spread across all 50 states. The judge asserted…
The Trump administration has initiated a significant reshuffle within the nation’s immigration courts with the termination of 20 judges, marking a controversial wave of dismissals that underscores its broader agenda of federal restructuring. This action, reported by the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, includes recently hired immigration judges and several in management positions,…
The American Bar Association (ABA) has issued a statement emphasizing its unwavering support for the rule of law, responding to a series of executive orders enacted by former President Donald Trump that have sparked significant controversy. These orders, according to critics, challenge the foundational principles of the U.S. Constitution, particularly concerning the separation of powers…
The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights recently highlighted significant concerns about Greece’s treatment of migrants and the human rights of the Roma communities. This comes after Commissioner Michael O’Flaherty’s visit to Greece, where he engaged with various stakeholders such as Greek officials, NGOs, and affected individuals to delve into reports of migrant pushbacks,…