It’s a somber day in the UK as the Safety of Rwanda Bill, which passed its final stages in parliament day before yesterday, is about to become law. Human rights and the rule of law will be severely damaged by this, endangering the lives of those who fled to the UK in search of safety and creating a risky precedent for the rest of the world.
Despite a verdict by the UK Supreme Court in November 2023 and a wealth of evidence to the contrary, the government’s new law attempts to legislate away the facts and declare Rwanda safe to transfer asylum seekers. The statute substantially restricts access to appeals and remedies while compelling UK courts and civil workers to “conclusively” treat Rwanda as safe. Amid speculation that asylum seeker detention could begin within days, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that flights will begin in 10 to 12 weeks and that 2,200 detention places had been reserved in the UK.
International censure has already been issued for the government’s flagrant disdain for its responsibilities under international law and for the rule of law. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and UN High Commissioner for Refugees issued warnings about the law’s extensive ramifications.
