By Melis Ozbardakci and Smret Gebreslassie Hundreds of refugees and displaced people are left to fend for themselves, out in the streets around Maximilian Park in Brussels. Refugee Rights Europe has previously reported the heightened risk facing displaced people in Brussels, many of whom are UK-bound but others who wish to seek sanctuary in Belgium. … Continue reading Asylum seekers in Maximilian Park, Brussels – Face to face with the Covid-19 crisis

By Harriet Morphy-Morris  The UK government has continued to prioritise the use of immigration detention centres, despite a huge public backlash over the lack of welfare for those detained. The treatment got significantly worse during the first coronavirus lockdown, 19,000 people were placed in immigration detention centres across the UK, despite there being a lack … Continue reading The UK Government’s hostile use of Immigration Detention Centres

The shocking images of migrants and asylum-seekers abused by Croatian authorities are part of the persistent and well-documented trend of human rights violations taking place at European borders. They are also a reflection of the widespread impunity of European Union (EU) Member States’ border authorities and demonstrate the urgent need to address this in a … Continue reading Turning rhetoric into reality: New monitoring mechanism at European borders should ensure fundamental rights and accountability

A l’heure où des responsables politiques remettent ouvertement en cause l’accueil ou la prise en charge des mineur.e.s isolé.e.s étranger.e.s, nous faisons état des violations des droits que ces enfants subissent aux frontières françaises. La France doit redoubler d’efforts pour les protéger. C’est une obligation légale d’assurer que ces enfants très vulnérables aient accès à … Continue reading Les enfants en migration doivent être protégé.e.s / Children in migration must be protected

By Lily Sparks and Lucrezia Bosio  Hundreds of potential human trafficking survivors in the UK have been denied financial support due to new measures brought in during lockdown. The National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is the system through which potential trafficking victims are assessed and supported in the UK in accordance with the Modern Slavery Act … Continue reading Potential trafficking survivors denied financial support in the UK

By Reanna Smith Last month a record number of asylum seekers crossed the English Channel in an attempt to seek a better life in the UK. Following this, the British government has pushed immigration to the top of the agenda, resuming deportation flights that were halted due to COVID-19. As a result, heightened media coverage has produced … Continue reading The UK government’s criticism of “activist lawyers” is harmful and undermines those protecting the legal rights of asylum seekers

By Melis Ozbardakci, RRE Programme Associate The prefecture of Imperia in northern Italy recently announced the shutdown of a reception centre in Ventimiglia; a border town sometimes dubbed the ‘Italian Calais’ given its bottle-neck scenario and poor living conditions. The Campo Roja reception centre, managed by the Red Cross, officially closed on 31 July 2020, … Continue reading Closure of the Red Cross Reception Centre in Ventimiglia

By Melis Ozbardakci, RRE Programme Associate The vulnerability and the special needs of young asylum seekers are far too often overlooked. Most young asylum seekers in the UK would have left their home countries as children and subsequently experience harmful and traumatic environments that impact them deeply. In 2019, there were reportedly over 6,600 18 … Continue reading A Youth Welfare Officer pilot scheme launches in the UK

By Rory Goldring, Calais Food Collective When the police shut down our food distribution again, the people that were waiting for a meal were understandably frustrated. Accessing food is not straightforward for displaced people in Calais right now. An arguably racist application of Covid-19 precautions has meant that people of colour are often being denied … Continue reading “They beat us every time they get a chance.” A frontline perspective on police violence towards displaced people in Calais