Refoulement: France returns an Eritrean woman to Eritrea

The prefecture of the Pyrénées-Orientales (South-West of France) deported an Eritrean national to her country of origin on 6 June 2019. According to RFI Africa, the French prefecture arrested the young woman on 8 May at the Spanish border with a “counterfeit” residence permit. The French newspaper Le Figaro explains that the young Eritrean woman filed an asylum application with the administrative court and appealed to the jurisdiction, unsuccessfully, after being placed in a detention centre in Toulouse by the French authorities. It is the first return from France to Eritrea and can be considered refoulement, due to the fact that the woman is likely to face persecution and human rights abuses in Eritrea.

News Highlights: EU election results, Refugee evacuations needed amid threats of violence in Libya, Italy accused of ignoring boat in distress

In this week’s news highlights: Haftar promises no peace government lays down arms; UNHCR calls for humanitarian corridors for evacuation; WHO reports on Libya deaths; HRW accuses Egypt of war crimes; Italian navy accused of ignoring boat in distress; Libya NGOs call upon EU to review its migration policy; Impact of EU elections on migration policy; Clashes on Greek island over overcrowded camps; 48-hour strike in Sudan; Eritreans demand freedom on independence day; EU increases IOM’s funding by 18 million for activity in the Horn.

Report of the Roundtable – Inhumane treatment and trafficking of people in Libya: EU and EU Member States’ Responsibility

On 1 April 2019, a Roundtable entitled “Inhumane treatment and trafficking of people in Libya – The EU’s and EU Member states’ responsibility” was held from 18:30 – 20:00 in the European Parliament. The event was hosted by Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) Marie-Christine Vergiat (GUE/NGL Group) and Ana Gomes (S&D Group) together with the organisation Europe External Programme with Africa (EEPA). Speakers in this event were,among others, representatives of Médecins Sans Frontières, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, expert on human trafficking, legal experts, a journalist and human rights activists.