OSCE Chairman expresses consternation at Ukraine's decision to return Uzbek asylum seekers

BRUSSELS, 17 February 2006 - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht, has expressed his consternation at the decision taken by the Ukrainian authorities to extradite 11 Uzbek asylum seekers back to Uzbekistan.

"This forcible repatriation of asylum seekers constitutes a serious violation of the principle of non-refoulement and of international commitments undertaken by Ukraine, namely the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and the 1984 Convention Against Torture to both of which Ukraine is signatory," he said.

The Chairman-in-Office expressed regret that the Ukrainian authorities have not honoured their word given to the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR), not to deport current asylum seekers under the procedure.

He seeks urgent clarification from the Ukrainian authorities and information on the fate of the 11 Uzbek asylum seekers.

Minister De Gucht is also worried regarding the decision taken by the Kyrgyz Supreme Court to refuse refugee status for two of the four Uzbeks, who were recognized as refugees by UNHCR.

He noted that Kyrgyzstan had been very co-operative with UNHCR and the OSCE Centre in Bishkek and its Osh Field Office in ensuring the protection of a group of 450 asylum seekers, who were taken to Romania, for resettlement in safe third countries. However, the Chairman-in-Office has urged the Kyrgyz authorities to refrain from forcibly returning these four refugees to Uzbekistan.