DUBAI: A draft European Union plan to send back some migrants to Turkey has legal and moral flaws and could put vulnerable people at risk, the head of Amnesty International said, calling on Europe to take in more people seeking refuge instead.
Under a tentative deal struck last Monday, Turkey agreed to take back illegal migrants who enter Europe from Turkey, in exchange for more funding, an earlier introduction of visa-free travel to Europe for Turks, and a speeding up of Ankara鈥檚 long-stalled EU membership talks.
鈥淚t鈥檚 flawed, morally and legally,鈥� Amnesty International Secretary General Salil Shetty told Reuters in Dubai.
Shetty said in an interview he would meet France鈥檚 interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, European Council President Donald Tusk and other EU officials this week 鈥渢o directly express our shock and outrage at what they are coming up with.鈥�
Leaders will meet again this week at an EU summit as they face Europe鈥檚 largest migration crisis since WWII.
鈥淭hey are saying it does not breach EU law because Turkey is a safe country. By what stretch of the imagination is Turkey a safe country for these people?鈥� Shetty said.
Turkey has said the deal would not stop Syrian refugees legitimately seeking shelter in Europe. Turkey and EU leaders say they want to discourage illegal migrants and stop smugglers.
But the United Nations and rights groups say mass returns without considering individual asylum cases could be illegal. Amnesty says Europe should take in its fair share of the millions seeking refugee and spend more on those who remain in the region.
鈥淢ost European countries are signatories to the (UN) refugee convention, so they are in direct violation,鈥� Shetty said. 鈥淭he refugee convention is clear, these people fleeing from war and persecution have international protection. So they have to take it case-by-case.鈥�
Under the plan, the EU would admit one refugee directly from Turkey for each Syrian it took back from the Greek Aegean islands, and those who attempted the sea route would be returned.