Dr Jeff Crisp, RSC Research Associate, has written a blog for the International Refugee Rights Initiative asking UNHCR’s Senior External Relations Officer in Tripoli what happens after refugees and migrants are intercepted in the Mediterranean by the EU-funded Libyan coastguard and returned to Libya.
His questions include the following:
- Does UNHCR have an opportunity to identify those people who have been intercepted at sea and who have refugee status or a pending asylum claim?
- Is there any evidence that the Libyan coastguard use excessive force or commit human rights abuses when returning people who are intercepted at sea?
- Are the people who are intercepted and disembarked routinely placed in detention?
- What happens to someone who is disembarked and who is suffering from a serious medical condition or severe trauma?
- Are any special provisions made for unaccompanied children?
- If people are placed in detention, does UNHCR have any access to them?
Read the answers in the blog here >>
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