Tomorrow, Feb 12, the @echr.coe.int GC will hear three cases on #pushbacks in the context of an “instrumentalization“ of migrants for purported ”hybrid attacks.“ www.echr.coe.int/w/forthcomin... Here‘s what these cases are about and why they are important for the future of the rule of law: - ThreadSky

markard-chair.bsky.social • 16 days ago

Tomorrow, Feb 12, the @echr.coe.int GC will hear three cases on #pushbacks in the context of an “instrumentalization“ of migrants for purported ”hybrid attacks.“
https://www.echr.coe.int/w/forthcoming-hearings-in-february
Here‘s what these cases are about and why they are important for the future of the rule of law:

Comments

markard-chair.bsky.social•15 days ago

@tgammeltoft.bsky.social

markard-chair.bsky.social•16 days ago

LV, LT, PL have been systematically pushing migrants back to Belarus, which has been facilitating or forcing migrants to cross the EU border since 2021. The Court will have to decide whether they can rely on exceptional circumstances to justify these pushbacks.

markard-chair.bsky.social•16 days ago

Given that Belarus has no functioning asylum system, these pushbacks engage non-refoulement (Art 3 ECHR) and the prohibition of collective expulsion (Art 4 P-4). So far, the Court has considered Art 3 absolute, meaning there is no justification for breaches, ever.

markard-chair.bsky.social•16 days ago

We submitted a third party intervention to the @echr.coe.int on whether Art 15 ECHR, the 1951 Refugee Convention, general int‘l law, or EU law permit pushbacks in the exceptional circumstances claimed by LV, LT, PL. It’s published here: https://www.law.ox.ac.uk/content/news/bonavero-institute-human-rights-publishes-its-first-report-2025-absolute-prohibition

markard-chair.bsky.social•16 days ago

Check out the recording of our webinar on ”The absolute prohibition of refoulement and exceptional circumstances“ with Başak Çalı, @jameshathaway.bsky.social @deconinckjoyce.bsky.social and @mstille.bsky.social:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eMgyQXUzTc&t=1198s

markard-chair.bsky.social•16 days ago

TL:DR:
📌 Art 3 ECHR is non-derogable.
📌 The 1951 Refugee Convention exceptions don’t apply.
📌 Art 15 ECHR is lex specialis to the customary exception of necessity.
📌 EU law incorporates int‘l law standards as minimum level of protection.
👉Read the report: https://www.law.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2025-01/Bonavero%20Report%20-%20Non-refoulement_1.pdf

markard-chair.bsky.social•16 days ago

💥Why is this important? The @echr.coe.int is at a crossroads: it must decide whether to hold the line on the absolute prohibition of #refoulement or give up the #ruleoflaw at the border by rendering protection seekers completely rightless.
https://strasbourgobservers.com/2024/09/06/for-better-or-for-worse-grand-chamber-takes-over-cases-concerning-pushbacks-at-the-belarusian-border/

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