The European Union has imposed a ban on citizens from seven countries from seeking asylum in Europe.
The EU has added Kosovo, Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Morocco, and Tunisia to its list of “safe countries,” aiming to expedite the rejection of asylum applications from these nations.
According to the European Commission, the decision will come into effect following approval from the European Parliament and member states. This move will allow member countries to swiftly dismiss asylum applications from these nations as “unfounded.” EU Commissioner for Migration, Magnus Brunner, stated, “Member states are facing a massive asylum backlog, and faster decisions have become essential.”
However, human rights activists have strongly criticized the decision, calling it an attempt to undermine the right to asylum. Meron Kinetman from the International Rescue Committee stated that “assessing asylum applications on an individual basis is a fundamental human right.”
The inclusion of Tunisia and Egypt in particular has drawn severe criticism. The Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights labeled it “a blatant violation of the right to asylum.” According to EU data, Tunisia has seen arrests of political leaders, lawyers, judges, and journalists, while in Egypt, human rights activists and opposition figures face arbitrary detention and torture.
