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Swiss must ensure deportees not at risk: source

30 November 2010 20:21 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. The U.N. urged Switzerland on Tuesday to ensure it did not expel refugees to a country where they could face mistreatment, after Swiss voters backed automatic deportation of foreigners convicted of serious crimes, APA reports quoting news.yahoo.com website.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said the Swiss government must uphold the principle of no forced returns, in line with its obligations under a 1951 U.N. refugee treaty.

"The principle ... exists to ensure that no refugee or asylum seeker is returned to a situation in which they face serious harm, such as persecution, torture and inhumane or degrading treatment," UNHCR spokesman Adrian Edwards told a news briefing.

Individual cases must be properly heard and legal remedies provided to ensure convicted asylum seekers or refugees were not returned to a situation of jeopardy, he said.

"Any automatism in this regard would be at variance with fundamental tenets of the rule of law," he added.

In a Sunday referendum, 53 percent of Swiss voters backed a proposal to automatically deport foreigners convicted of crimes ranging from murder to benefits fraud, according to results carried by Swiss television.

Under current Swiss law, decisions to expel foreigners convicted of serious crimes are made case-by-case. Foreigners make up more than a fifth of the population of 7.7 million.

The expulsion initiative was put forward by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP), which has mined increasing opposition to immigration to become the country’s biggest political movement.

The UNHCR’s office for Switzerland voiced concern last week about the "increasing stigmatization of foreigners in general, including refugees and asylum seekers" in the country.

A year ago, the Swiss drew international condemnation for endorsing a ban on construction of new Muslim minarets, also proposed by the SVP.

The Swiss government urged voters to reject both initiatives, which could fall foul of European anti-discrimination laws.

A committee is to draw up a draft law that minimizes any conflict with Switzerland’s international obligations, it said Sunday. The text would then be voted on by parliament.