Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Cathryn Costello
Cathryn Costello

On 23 July, the Federal Court of Canada ruled that denying refugee claimants from Designated Countries of Origin access to the Refugee Appeal Division was a violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Court ruled that these claimants must have access to the Refugee Appeal Division, effective immediately.

Professor Cathryn Costello, Andrew W Mellon Associate Professor in International Human Rights and Refugee Law, provided an Expert Affidavit in the case.

The ruling provides an important example of how basic principles of fairness, in this case, the Canadian Charter’s guarantees of equality and due process, may be invoked to challenge policies that restrict the rights of asylum seekers.

For more details, see the Canadian Council for Refugees >>

related content

Cathryn Costello People