OSCE human rights chief stresses responsibility of all states to ensure security and dignified treatment of refugees, particularly the most vulnerable

WARSAW, 20 June 2018 – While the countries in the OSCE region have committed themselves to protecting the human rights of all refugees, they also have the responsibility to ensure the security and dignified treatment of all individuals wanting to cross borders, especially the most vulnerable and those at the greatest risk, Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), said on today’s World Refugee Day.

“In recent weeks alone we have all seen too many disturbing reports underscoring the desperate situations in which many refugees, asylum seekers and migrants find themselves. These are people out at sea and denied entry to port, or men and women, boys and girls fleeing various forms of violence in their countries of origin, or even children in such situations being forcibly and traumatically separated from their parents,” the ODIHR Director said. “No legal aim – genuine or otherwise – can justify the danger and harm created for refugees in these situations.”

She noted that all OSCE participating States have made the commitment to “promote the dignified treatment of all individuals” in line with national and international laws and, “in particular human rights, refugee, and humanitarian law, and relevant OSCE commitments.”

“I am particularly concerned that decisions on the treatment of refugees – and migrants in general – in some states are being made based on populist pressures, rather than the relevant international and domestic laws and commitments,” Gísladóttir said. “Political leaders must act responsibly to ensure the human rights and safety of all individuals on their territory, regardless of the circumstances of entry.”