A win for humanity: Rwanda Supreme Court ruling

 

On 15th November 2023, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the Government’s cruel Rwanda plan was unlawful.  

While this is a hugely positive step, it is unfortunately not the end of this Government’s ever crueller attempts to send people seeking safety in the UK to other countries. You can sign our petition here if you’d like join us in urging the Government to abandon for good the idea of outsourcing our international responsibilities to other countries.  

We’re proud to be one of 135 organisations signing a joint civil society statement on this ruling, which you can find below.

We are relieved today that the Supreme Court has made the right decision and declared that Rwanda is not a safe country for this government to send people needing safety. The Rwanda plan was always cruel and immoral. We urge the Government to immediately abandon such plans with Rwanda or with any other country, and instead protect the rights of people who have come to our country in search of sanctuary. 

While we welcome the decision today, we remain concerned by this Government’s overall treatment of people who move to this country. We are alarmed by this Government’s continuous efforts to detain and forcibly send people to countries where they may not know anyone, especially if it puts them at risk of harm and human rights violations. We know that as a community we are compassionate and welcoming, and we need immigration policies that are rooted in that same care, compassion, and respect for human rights. We call on everyone to stand up for the rights of people seeking sanctuary, regardless of where they come from or how they travel here. 

  • 1. Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI)

    2. BARAC UK

    3. Kalayaan 

    4. Liberty 

    5. Doctors of the World UK

    6. Welsh Refugee Council

    7. Medical Justice

    8. Focus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX)

    9. Rainbow Migration

    10. Bail for Immigration Detainees

    11. Just Fair

    12. René Cassin, the Jewish voice for human rights

    13. After Exploitation

    14. Freedom from Torture

    15. Latin American Women's Rights Service (LAWRS)

    16. North Wales Regional Equality Network

    17. Young Roots

    18. Anti Trafficking and Labour Exploitation Unit (ATLEU)

    19. Association of Visitors to Immigration Detainees (AVID)

    20. Every Child Protected Against Trafficking (ECPAT UK)

    21. Humans for Rights Network

    22. Hibiscus Initiatives

    23. Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ)

    24. Scottish Refugee Council

    25. Helen Bamber Foundation

    26. Asylum Aid

    27. The William Gomes Podcast

    28. Routes Collective

    29. New Citizens' Gateway

    30. CARAS

    31. West London Welcome

    32. Student Action for Refugees (STAR)

    33. Afghan Association Paiwand

    34. RefuAid 

    35. IMIX

    36. Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group

    37. Kent Refugee Action Network (KRAN)

    38. Our Second Home

    39. Samphire

    40. Care4Calais

    41. St Augustine's Centre, Halifax

    42. Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit

    43. Good Chance Theatre

    44. The Runnymede Trust

    45. Hope at Home

    46. Voices in Exile

    47. Refugee Support Group (Berkshire)

    48. Ice and Fire Theatre

    49. Waging Peace

    50. Reading City of Sanctuary

    51. forRefugees

    52. Cambridge Convoy Refugee Action Group

    53. Hastings Supports Refugees

    54. Cambridge Refugee Resettlement Campaign

    55. Hastings Community of Sanctuary

    56. Herts for Refugees

    57. City of Sanctuary UK

    58. Bristol Refugee Rights

    59. Da'aro Youth Project

    60. Reunite Families UK

    61. Migrants' Rights Network

    62. Public Law Project

    63. Praxis

    64. Refugee Action

    65. Together with Migrant Children

    66. JRS UK (Jesuit Refugee Service)

    67. Here for Good

    68. Refugee Council

    69. the3million

    70. Open Rights Group

    71. National AIDS Trust

    72. Anti-Trafficking Monitoring Group (ATMG)

    73. Asylum Matters

    74. HIAS+JCORE

    75. People in Motion

    76. Refugee and Migrant Centre (West Midlands)

    77. RAMFEL

    78. Refugee Women Connect

    79. Voices Network 

    80. Micro Rainbow

    81. LGBT Health and Wellbeing (Scotland)

    82. The VOICES Network 

    83. Mermaids

    84. HOPE not hate

    85. African Rainbow Family

    86. Manchester Migrant Solidarity

    87. Safe Passage

    88. Birmingham City of Sanctuary

    89. Birmingham Schools of Sanctuary

    90. Haringey Welcome

    91. House of Rainbow CIC

    92. Asylum Welcome 

    93. Anti-Slavery International

    94. LGBT Foundation

    95. Migrants Organise

    96. Hope and Aid Direct

    97. Inclusive Mosque Initiative 

    98. Alawia SBI

    99. JustRight Scotland

    100. Kanlungan Filipino Consortium

    101. Time To Be Out

    102. TransActual

    103. Durham Visitors Group

    104. Lewes Organisation in Support of Refugees & Asylum Seekers

    105. RefYouMe

    106. Reclaim The Sea

    107. Big Leaf Foundation

    108. Freedom United

    109. Muslim Council of Britain

    110. Global Link

    111. Lesbian Asylum Support Sheffield

    112. Asylum Support Appeals Project

    113. Gendered Intelligence

    114. Migrant Voice

    115. Stand For All

    116. Migration Justice Project, Law Centre NI

    117. NACCOM

    118. Refugee Legal Support

    119. South Yorkshire Refugee Law and Justice

    120. Choose Love 

    121. Refugee and Migrants Forum of Essex and London

    122. Leeds Asylum Seekers Support Network

    123. Nottingham Arimathea Trust

    124. Govan Community Project

    125. Simon Community Scotland

    126. Welcome Churches

    127. The Pickwell Foundation

    128. Refugees at Home

    129. Stonewall

    130. Sahir House

    131. Southeast and East Asian Centre (SEEAC)

    132. Room to Heal

    133.Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative

    134. Social Workers Without Borders

    135. Human Rights Consortium Scotland

 

 
NewsAnya Jhoti