Punjab Post/Bureau
A legal showdown has unfolded as the president of Europe’s Court of Human Rights (ECHR) declared on Thursday that the United Kingdom is bound by a legal obligation to adhere to its injunctions. This statement comes in response to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s assertion that he would defy such orders, specifically related to his plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.
The controversial scheme proposes sending asylum seekers who arrive on England’s southern coast via small boats to the East African nation. However, in June 2022, the ECHR issued a last-minute injunction, known as interim measures under Rule 39, effectively halting the initial deportations.
Recently, the UK’s apex court ruled the policy as unlawful due to deficiencies in the Rwandan system. In an attempt to overcome this hurdle, a parliamentary Bill is in progress to declare Rwanda as a safe destination, granting ministers the authority to decide whether to enforce ECHR injunctions.
ECHR President Siofra O’Leary, speaking in Strasbourg, emphasized, “There is a legal obligation under the convention for states to comply with Rule 39 measures.”