Human rights violations at the borders

Migreurop organizes in Cecina (Italy) a 3-days seminar (July 23-24-25, 2007) on the theme of human rights violation at the borders.

The aim is two-fold :
 First, with NGOs from different countries, to share field experiences, in order to make a resources census of the « juridic resistance » already practiced, more particularly with ECHR.
 Then, to draw conclusions for promoting an international juridic tool for protecting persons at the borders (whatever the nationality or the status, and whatever the borders)

This seminar will be the occasion to assess the situation/plan denunciations campaign against the danger of two key instruments of the European policy for the control of migratory flows : Frontex agency and readmission agreements.

Concerning these last points, we wish to articulate militant work and the mobilisation of the European and national MPs. The seminar will include a meeting with MPs.

Organisation and thematics

The seminar will take place during three days.

1st day

 Presentation of NGOs and participants ; inventory of human rights violations cases at the borders in different countries, and of juridical instruments to address these violations.

 Brief round table on the Italian situation, with the participation of Mario Morcone and Giovanni Pinto, in charge of « Civil Liberties and Immigration » and of « Borders » at the Ministry of the Interior, Nuccio Iovene, senator, and Tana de Zulueta, MP.

 FRONTEX : presentation of the Frontex operations and and analysis of its dysfunctions in relation to the respect of migrants rights at the borders.

 Readmission agreements (key element of the European policy of borders management)

2nd day

 Human rights violation at the maritime borders

• Maritime interceptions in the Canary Islands (APDHA, CEAR)
• Greece/Turkey border (Antigones)
• Maritime interceptions : Italy, Malta, Libya (ARCI)
• Presentation of the legal actions already instituted :
  • CEAR : « Marine I » Appeal
  • ARCI : European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) Appeal, against the Italian authorities for the Lampedusa deportations

 Human rights violation at the air borders

• ANAFE experience in French waiting zones (zones d’attente)
• CIRE experience in Belgian closed centres
• CEAR experience at the Barajas airport in Madrid
• to be confirmed : Portugal and Germany experiences
• Presentation of juridic actions used :
  • ANAFE : ECHR Appeal addressing the absence of suspensive appeal against the decisions of refusal admission on the territory and retransporting (Gebremedhin vs France decision)
  • CIRE : ECHR Appeal addressing long-term detention and deportation of foreign minors (Mubilanzila Mayeka et Kaniki Mitunga vs Belgium decision)

 Human rights violations at the land borders

• Ceuta and Melilla : Hicham Rachidi, Gadem
• Border monitoring in Pristina (Kosovo) : Gezim Konoviku
• Controls of migrants at the Schengen internal borders, the Italy/France case (Claudia Charles)
• Presentation of appeals used :
  • Ceuta and Melilla : appeal proposed by CEAR and Migreurop

3rd day

 Debate and workshop on the creation and utilisation of a juridic instrument for human rights violations at the borders.

 Thematic campaign proposal and international appeals on two subjects : Frontex and Readmission Agreements.

Referent persons for each seminar

 Frontex : Sara Prestianni and Caroline Maillary
 Readmission Agreements : Claire Rodier and Lola Schulmann
 Sea Borders : APDHA, CEAR, ARCI
 Land Borders : Claudia Charles
 Air Borders : Caroline Maillary
 Juridic instrument : ASGI