What was the background to the British extradition treaty with Rwanda?

In future, migrants who come to the UK illegally will be deported to Rwanda. Questions and answers about the government's asylum programs in London.

Who should be deported in the future?

The British government basically wants to deport to Rwanda everyone who enters the country without the necessary documents – regardless of where they come from. You must apply for asylum in an African country. If successful, they must remain in Rwanda. There are no plans to return to Great Britain.

Why do the British do this?

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of the Conservative Party has promised a tough line on immigration policy with the slogan “stop the boats”. Last year, nearly 30,000 people crossed the English Channel by boat. By the end of March this year, there were 4,600, more than ever before in the first quarter.

The Rwandan government defends the programs as an important way to secure borders and prevent migrants from making the dangerous crossing. Conservative politicians hope a tougher stance will generate more support in general elections later this year.

What is Britain paying Rwanda for this?

According to the Court of Auditors in London, the government pays Rwanda up to half a billion pounds – the equivalent of around 584 million euros. In addition, an asylum seeker can have hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Do you have any criticism of them? Government schemes?

The high costs have drawn criticism from opponents of the deal. Above all, there are doubts about the project's legitimacy. The Supreme Court in London declared the schemes illegal. Judges doubt that people in Rwanda will receive a fair asylum process. However, Prime Minister Sunak ignored the law and declared Rwanda a safe third country. It was intended to prevent appeals in the British courts.

how is it Human rights situation In Rwanda?

Rwanda's President Paul Kagame, who has ruled for 24 years, has been accused by human rights groups of persecuting opponents and suppressing freedom of expression. The United Nations refugee agency reports on extrajudicial killings, torture and deaths in custody.

There has been criticism of the high rate of rejection of asylum claims from conflict zones such as Syria. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has warned that Britain could lose its reputation in the world if it considers only some of the requirements of international law.

What does Rwanda expect from the deal?

The authoritarian leadership in Kigali hopes to burnish Rwanda's image in the West and divert attention from the country's human rights situation. Payment from London is also an objective.

There is already an agreement with Great Britain. Rwanda has expressed willingness to accept deported refugees. In return, the British would pay the equivalent of several hundred million euros.

When should deportation flights start?

Prime Minister Sunak hoped the first deportation flights to Rwanda would take off in the spring. Now talking about ten twelve weeks notice. According to Sunak, there is already an agreement with a commercial airline and an agreement with an airport. According to British media reports, there are also considerations to bring asylum seekers to Rwanda earlier on regular flights.

Will there be a plan? Ruling Party Win votes?

In principle, the vote in Parliament was a victory for Prime Minister Sunak. However, his Conservative Party is lagging far behind the opposition Labor Party in opinion polls. Much depends on whether the Rwanda deal actually succeeds in permanently curbing the number of migrants arriving in the English Channel.

Is that already the last word?

Even if the government tries to avoid lawsuits by declaring Rwanda a safe third country, the courts may be called upon to halt deportations. Once migrants are informed that they are to be deported to Rwanda, they can apply for a court appeal. That would at least delay deportation.

If British courts bow to the requirement that Rwanda be a safe third country, the affected migrants could appeal to the European Court of Human Rights – which has already halted deportation flights. The British government wants to bypass this with new legislation, but whether it can do so is debatable. Many lawyers consider this to be a violation of international law. In a worst-case scenario, it would mean the British government would have to bring back migrants from Rwanda who had already been deported.