‘Laws must allow refugees the right to seek asylum’

Organisations issue a joint statement to mark World Refugee Day

THE TRNC’s immigration laws should be amended to recognise the right to seek asylum, 17 organisations said in a joint statement to mark World Refugee Day, June 20.

The organisations that signed the declaration included Lefkoşa Turkish Municipality, the Cyprus Turkish Bar Association, the Universal Patients’ Rights Association, the Universal Children’s Rights Association, the SOS Children’s Village Association, the Union of the Chambers of Cyprus Turkish Engineers and Architects, the Voice of International Students in Cyprus, the Turkish Cypriot Human Rights Foundation and the Refugee Rights Association.

The lives and freedom of refugees should not be put under risk by sending them back to their countries, the statement said, and “arriving irregularly without documents does not negate the universal human right to” seek asylum from war and persecution.

They said that Chapter 105 of the “Aliens and Immigration Law” should be changed to prevent “at a minimum . . . non-rejection at the frontier, and non-penalisation . . . and the treatment of asylum-seekers and refugees in accordance with applicable human rights”.

Reminding that “seeking asylum is not an unlawful act”, the statement warned against the detention of asylum-seekers as this would violate basic human rights and stated that the detention of children “should not occur at all”.

Instead, “alternative places of refuge should be developed” if needed.

The statement set out eight areas of support that refugees require, such as those relating to health, employment, education and welfare.

“There is no dilemma between securing public health and protecting refugees, as they are not mutually exclusive,” in the context of Covid-19, the statement stressed.

“In the field of health, refugees should also be included in every aspect of safety measures, such as vaccination programmes, and access to multilingual information should be guaranteed.”

The statement also said that “racism and xenophobia, which has unfortunately escalated across the globe, including in the northern part of Cyprus” should be tackled with policies, legislation, and an action plan.

“The hope of building a new life and thriving in a new environment is usually a difficult process for refugees; and enabling them to have equal and sustainable access to fundamental human rights is catalytic.

“Refugees and asylum seekers living in the northern part of Cyprus should have meaningful access to employment, including in practicing all professions, language, and vocational training programmes, and permanent residency rights.

“We urge the local authorities to hasten the efforts to help refugees integrate and contribute to the community.”