Month: March 2020

Posted on

Coronavirus: Portugal to treat migrants as residents during pandemic

Posted on

Joint letter to the Prime Minister

Coronavirus: policy recommendations to protect people who are experiencing homelessness and insecure migration statuses

by  on 20th March 2020 in Campaigns, News
Today (March 19th 2020), over 70 leading charities, organisations and individuals that provide essential services for people who are destitute and homeless because of their migration status are calling on the Government to take urgent action, as the Covid-19 crisis escalates. Continue reading “Joint letter to the Prime Minister”
Posted on

Protect the most vulnerable to ensure protection for everyone!

25.3.2020 ‘Restore legality to protect refugees and the society at large amidst the pandemic’

Open letter signed by χχ Organisations, Initiatives……

To

  • The President of Greece, Katerina Sakellaropoulou
  • The President of the Hellenic Parliament, Constantine An. Tassoula
  • The Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mistotaki
  • The President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli
  • The President of the European Council, Charles Michel
  • The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen
  • The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi
  • The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet
  • The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, Dunja Mijatović
  • The Director General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom

Continue reading “Protect the most vulnerable to ensure protection for everyone!”

Posted on

Protecting migrants from Covid-19

Today, with Liberty and Medact and many others, we have written to Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, to call for urgent changes to ensure the safety of migrants in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

We call on the Home Secretary to:

  • ensure access to healthcare – this means immediately suspending all NHS charging and data sharing with immigration enforcement, and launching a public information campaign that makes clear that healthcare services are available and safe for all migrants to use
  • ensure all migrants have access to vital public services by suspending ‘No Recourse To Public Funds’ conditions
  • make assurances that no one will be penalised for missing appointments, reporting or court dates due to illness
  • make sure no one is made an ‘overstayer’ because of being self-isolated or unable to return to a country that is not safe to travel to, by extending or modifying visas
  • release everyone detained under immigration powers to reduce the risk of COVID-19 entering the detention estate and causing avoidable harm
  • provide specialist support for those housed in shared Asylum Accommodation to enable safe access to medical services, testing, and where necessary, re-housing for particularly vulnerable people. Continue reading “Protecting migrants from Covid-19”
Posted on

Coronavirus: Access to healthcare, housing and food for all

27th March 2020 RE: ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, HOUSING AND FOOD FOR ALL 
#healthandsafetyforall
Dear Sirs
RE: ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, HOUSING AND FOOD FOR ALL
We call upon the British and Irish States to act immediately so that all undocumented, destitute and migrant people in the legal process in both the UK and Ireland are granted Status Now, as in Leave to Remain.  In this way every human, irrespective of their nationality or citizenship can access healthcare, housing, food and the same sources of income from the State as everyone else.
Everyone has the right to be in an environment where they can follow the Public Health directives necessary to limit COVID19 viral transmission to the absolute minimum and to care for themselves, their loved ones and their living and working communities.It is imperative – being in everyone’s best interests – that the basic needs of all are met.
People living in extreme poverty and/or destitution and/or without immigration status in the UK or Ireland and/or without access to the NHS or the Irish Health System:
•            Are unable to socially isolate as needed
•            Cannot access health care, and income and other social support
•            Cannot contribute openly and without fear, to making the population as safe as possible, alongside everyone else. Continue reading “Coronavirus: Access to healthcare, housing and food for all”
Posted on

People stranded at the borders of Europe

“Protect our laws and humanity!” Open Letter by 256 Organizations

To:

  • Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic, Kyriakos Mitsotakis
  • President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli
  • President of the European Council, Charles Michel
  • President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen

Athens, 6 March 2020 – The undersigned organisations are deeply concerned about recent developments at the Evros border and the Aegean islands where people are stranded at the borders of Europe, instrumentalized for political purposes, and subject to violations of their rights. We are also deeply concerned about the way the authorities of Greece and the European Union are handling new arrivals. Equally alarming are the extreme actions by security forces against refugees and by civilians against staff of human rights and humanitarian organizations. We would also like to point out that the climate of panic and rhetoric of ‘asymmetric threat’ –also promoted by the authorities– does not reflect reality and seriously affects not only vulnerable refugees- but also our society and the rule of law as a whole. Continue reading “People stranded at the borders of Europe”

Posted on

Coronavirus, undocumented migrants and those in the current process

17 March 2020: “No-one Can ‘Self Isolate’ from a Friend’s Sofa, a Park Bench or a Shop Doorway”

PRESS RELEASE / PUBLIC STATEMENT for immediate release

Posted on

Message to Council of Europe: refugees on Turkey-Greece border

QARN: We are disappointed that the Council of Europe has not spoken out publicly about the acts of violence  on the Turkish-Greek border, against refugees fleeing from war.
It is not illegal to cross borders to seek protection. Turkey was threatening to return these refugees to the war zone. The Greek authorities are sanctioning the use of weapons against the refugees there and are driving them back into Turkey.  Continue reading “Message to Council of Europe: refugees on Turkey-Greece border”
Posted on

“Protect our laws and humanity!” Open Letter by 256 Organizations

Refugee Legal Support Athens, 6 March 2020 – The undersigned organisations are deeply concerned about recent developments at the Evros border and the Aegean islands where people are stranded at the borders of Europe, instrumentalized for political purposes, and subject to violations of their rights. We are also deeply concerned about the way the authorities of Greece and the European Union are handling new arrivals. Equally alarming are the extreme actions by security forces against refugees and by civilians against staff of human rights and humanitarian organizations. We would also like to point out that the climate of panic and rhetoric of ‘asymmetric threat’ –also promoted by the authorities– does not reflect reality and seriously affects not only vulnerable refugees- but also our society and the rule of law as a whole.

Specifically:

Continue reading ““Protect our laws and humanity!” Open Letter by 256 Organizations”
Posted on

Refugees are not weapons

UNHCR statement on the situation at the Turkey-EU border 02 March 2020   |  Español   |  Français   |  عربي

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is appealing for calm and an easing of tensions on Turkey’s borders with the European Union in light of the present increased movements of people there – including refugees and asylum-seekers.

UNHCR is monitoring developments in Turkey and in Greece and is offering its support. As in all such situations it is important that the authorities refrain from any measures that might increase the suffering of vulnerable people.  Continue reading “Refugees are not weapons”