Appeal by human rights defenders to protect refugees and asylum seekers in Eastern Europe

To the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
H.E. Filippo Grandi
UNHCR Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland 
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Case Postale 2500
CH-1211 Genève 2 Dépôt
Suisse
Contact form for electronic appeal
https://www.unhcr.org/contact-form.html

Your Excellency!

The Center for Civil Liberties (Kyiv, Ukraine) and the Moscow Helsinki Group (Moscow, Russia) held an international discussion during Solidarity Talks on June 16, 2021 dedicated to the topic «International system of assistance to asylum seekers: do we need a new format?” 30 human rights activists, lawyers and refugees from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands participated in
the discussion.
The participants stated and convincingly confirm the following issues:

• numerous assassination attempts and attacks on refugees in Europe which are organized by the
  authorities or particular officials took place in a number of countries of refugees origin. Namely,
  Azerbaijan and Russia are among these countries;
• the relatively low level of competence of the migration services and courts existing in European
  countries in the course of consideration of cases on granting asylum to people who are
  persecuted for political reasons;
• biased official examinations, which are provided by public authorities employees in European
  countries in cases of asylum;
• mass expulsions (may be exodus meant?) of refugees and people in danger from a number of
  countries based on the criterion of belonging to an ethnic or religious group. Such expulsions are
  carried out by the French authorities.
  These facts indicate a significant worsening of the situation in the European Union for refugees
  and asylum seekers. We believe that the current situation requires a higher level reaction from
  the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in protecting the rights and
  legitimate interests of refugees and asylum seekers.

On behalf of the “International Asylum Seeker Assistance System: Do we need a new format?”
panelists we’re asking you:

1. To initiate international discussion, with the participation of the officials from European
   Union, outline the problem of attacks on refugees and asylum seekers in order to develop
   new effective mechanisms to prevent such cases and bring their organizers to justice.
2. Continue meetings with representatives of organizations of Muslim migrants in European
   countries, refugees, organizations of ethnic minorities in order to elaborate on the
   mechanisms of violation of the members of these groups rights by the authorities of
   European countries.
3. Enlist support of UNHCR to create a system of non-state expertise for a more competent
   and objective consideration of applications of asylum seekers and persons in respect of
   whom an extradition request is being considered.
   We are ready to communicate with your representatives to follow up on these problems, as
   well as provide our expert.
   

You Excellency, please accept my assurance in your highest consideration.

Sincerely,
Head of the Board of
Center for Civil Liberties Oleksandra Matviichuk