Switzerland Hardens Process of Accepting Refugees from Eritrea

2017-02-04 11:14:16 Written by  EPDP information Office Published in EPDP News Read 2200 times

The Federal Administrative Tribunal of Switzerland decided on 2 February 2017 that "illegal escape from Eritrea" alone cannot be presented as a justification for Eritrean asylum seekers  to be accepted as political refugees. The law will be put into effect as of June 2017 by the Federal office for migration and refugees.

The Federal Administrative Tribunal, which is the supreme court in interpreting laws in the country, made it clear that any asylum seeker from Eritrea will no longer be eligible for refugee status unless he/she presents sufficient evidence of political persecution by the Eritrean authorities.

Tribune de Genève, the French daily, reported on 3 February that the Swiss authorities have collected information that a number of Eritrean refugees had travelled to their home country, Eritrea, soon after obtaining political protection in Switzerland and that this showed they have no problem to go back to their country of origin.

It is to be recalled that delegations of right-wing Swiss parties visited Eritrea in recent years and came with reports which claimed that Eritrea "is safe for the return of refugees" who fail to obtain political protection in Switzerland.

In the last few years alone, Switzerland was a destination for over 25,000 Eritrean asylum seekers.

Last modified on Saturday, 04 February 2017 12:20