Amnesty International waarschuwt tegen EU-plannen voor terugsturen illegale Libische migranten (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - International organisations are warning about the poor record of human rights protection in Libya, as EU justice and home affairs ministers meet on Thursday (14 April) to debate a deal with Tripoli on the deportation of illegal migrants back to the country.

Ministers are set to discuss the EU's future cooperation with Libya on the basis of a Commission report following its mission to Tripoli late last year.

Libya has currently no formal relations with the EU, while only nine member states have their embassies in the country's capital of Tripoli.

However, Brussels has made clear it could include Libya in the framework of its neighbourhood policy, leading to more economic cooperation, as long as its government proceeds with political reforms.

No guarantee of refugee rights in Libya

Some EU member states are pushing for closer links with the country in the area of migration.

However, human activists argue that there are currently no guarantees of refugee rights in Libya.

"People forcibly returned to Libya from Europe risk degrading detention conditions and further expulsion to countries where they may face imprisonment and torture", according to Dick Oosting, Director of Amnesty International's EU Office.

"In this context, deportations of 'irregular migrants' to Libya as carried out repeatedly by EU Member States, in particular by Italy and Malta, should be immediately halted as these removals may be in breach of Member States' obligations under international law", Mr Oosting said in a statement.

Amnesty International warns that the continuation of such procedures would "in fact undermine the credibility of the EU's own 'Barcelona Process' with Mediterranean countries which, among other things, aims to enhance the respect for human rights throughout the region".

A scandal

A similar message has been expressed by the European Parliament.

As part of its Strasbourg session this week, MEPs will discuss a motion condemning the breach of the Refugee Convention in cases of migrant deportations to Libya.

Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP (ALDE) has pointed out that "Denying migrants a chance to have their claim for refugee status assessed, and expelling them into Gadaffi's tender care, is a scandal".

She suggested that Commission Vice-President Franco Frattini, responsible for the justice and home affairs portfolio, should be more outspoken about the countries carrying out such deportations to Libya.

"Instead of silently colluding, he should be taking them to the European Court of Justice", said Baroness Ludford.