10 March 2008. Kyiv, Ukraine. The United Nations Country Team in Ukraine* is concerned by the recent refoulement of a group of 11 Sri Lankans by the Ukrainian authorities. They were forcibly returned from Ukraine - a group of 5 persons on 4 March and another group of 6 people on 5 March – to their home country.
These persons approached a partner organization of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Kyiv in December 2007 and were counseled on the governmental asylum system in Ukraine and their right to apply for refugee status with the government migration service. All of them received referral letters from the UN Refugee Agency, confirming the fact that they applied for assistance to its office. Six of them managed to apply for asylum with the competent Ukrainian authorities.
The United Nations Country Team in Ukraine is concerned about the violation of the rights of these Sri Lankan asylum seekers to a fair, effective and efficient procedure to determine their status. Moreover, the UN Refugee Agency was denied unhindered access as is provided under 1951 UN Refugee Convention, to which Ukraine is a signatory.
The United Nations reiterate the importance of the principle of non-refoulement, under which no refugee or asylum seeker whose case has not yet been properly assessed, can be forcibly returned to their country of origin. Refoulement is a violation of the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, to which Ukraine is a signatory. Refoulement is also specifically prohibited under Ukrainian national law.
For media contacts:
Natalia Prokopchuk, UNHCR Regional PI Officer, tel. + 380 44 288 9710/9424, e-mail:
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, www.unhcr.org.ua
Veronika Vashchenko, UN Communications Officer, tel. +380 44 253 9363, e-mail:
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www.un.org.ua
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*The United Nations Country Team in Ukraine consists of 13 resident agencies, organisations and associated institutions including the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee (UNHCR), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the World Health Organisation (WHO) as well as the World Bank (WB), the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The United Nations office in Ukraine was opened in 1992. Read more...
10.03.08
