The Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner urged Finland on Monday to “reject” a bill authorizing the refoulement of migrants, a text which aims to stem the orchestrated influx of asylum seekers, according to Helsinki , by Russia.
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“Finland should reject the bill on the manipulation of migration, protect access to asylum and prevent summary expulsions,” declared Michael O’Flaherty in a letter addressed in particular to the President of the Finnish Parliament, Jussi Halla-aho, in which he affirms his “concern about the compatibility” of this text “with human rights”.
Helsinki should “continue to seek alternative solutions consistent with (its) human rights obligations,” said Mr. O’Flaherty, who took office as commissioner in April.
He is “also concerned that the bill, if passed, would set a worrying precedent for other countries and the global asylum system.”
Finland’s conservative government unveiled a bill at the end of May authorizing its coast guard to turn back migrants, after the arrival last fall of some 1,000 visa-free migrants from neighboring Russian territory. Russia and Finland share a land border 1,340 kilometers long.
Helsinki accuses Moscow of having organized the arrival of these migrants, which the Russian authorities deny.
In April, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, also judged that Moscow was concentrating its “hybrid” attacks on Finland, using migrants to destabilize this country which joined NATO a year ago and which provides “firm support” to Ukraine.
The bill, which critics say violates international agreements and Finland’s human rights obligations, provides that in certain border areas, Finland could refuse to accept asylum applications for a period of one month maximum, in order to stem the arrival of undocumented migrants.
Only certain categories of asylum seekers, such as minors or people with disabilities, would then be authorized to submit their applications in these areas, at the discretion of the coast guard, with the others being expelled.
For this law to be adopted, the text must obtain a five-sixths majority of votes in the Finnish Parliament.
