Amnesty International warns of the denigrating treatment of refugees and migrants in Western Europe
London (EuroEFE).- Amnesty International (AI) criticizes in its latest annual report the denigrating treatment of migrants and refugees in some Western European countries and warns of the increase in "summary returns" as a recurring practice.
At the same time, the human rights organization highlights that during the 2021-2022 period " it was difficult not to see racism in the vaccination and climate policies adopted by European countries with respect to the rest of the world."
AI also underlines that the pandemic has called into question the ability of some public systems to preserve the right to health in the face of the enormous pressures to which they have been subjected in recent years.
IMMIGRATION RIGHTS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
Amnesty warns that in the United Kingdom "the rights of refugees and migrants were systematically violated" during the period they have investigated.
Given the increase in attempts to cross the English Channel in small boats to Great Britain, the British Government "introduced changes in immigration regulations and proposed new legislation that would make it more difficult to request asylum" in the country, indicates the organization humanitarian.
It also warns that "asylum seekers continued to be held in inhumane conditions, including in former military barracks, where there were outbreaks of covid-19."
On the protection of the right to health, AI warns that medical orders not to start cardiopulmonary resuscitation were used "widely" during the coronavirus pandemic in the United Kingdom, without the elderly and people with disabilities receiving " not enough support or adequate information'.
MEASURES AGAINST PROTESTS IN FRANCE
French authorities "continued to use vague and overly broad criminal provisions to arrest and prosecute peaceful protesters" and used "dangerous weapons" to impose order at public gatherings, Amnesty International said.
During 2021 and the first months of 2022, France "returned ethnic Chechens to Russia despite the high risk that they would suffer serious human rights violations there," highlights the organization, which regrets that migrants and asylum seekers "continued suffering degrading treatment', particularly in Calais (north-west) .
“ILLEGAL” REFUNDS IN GERMANY AND AUSTRIA
In the last year, the number of recorded hate crimes in Germany has increased, even though the authorities "did not develop a comprehensive strategy against violence based on discrimination", says Amnesty.
Although the German government approved a package of 89 measures against racist crimes , "institutional racism" was not addressed, nor was an independent mechanism to investigate complaints at the state and federal level.
In Austria, a court has ruled that a group of seven asylum seekers was subjected to an "illegal return" to Slovenia and ruled that such "summary returns" are a recurring practice, the humanitarian organization highlighted.
RIGHT TO HEALTH IN ITALY
During the coronavirus pandemic, criticism from health and social care staff of working conditions in Italian care homes, where "elderly people were denied meaningful contact with the outside world," was muted.
Violence against women persisted in the country and no solutions were sought to the obstacles to accessing abortion, according to AI's analysis.
Migrants in an irregular situation "continued to be exposed to exploitation and abuse" and "solidarity with refugees and migrants continued to be criminalized at the borders."
Source:EFE-Amnesty
