On 29 June 2023 the Court of Appeal ruled against the Rwanda Policy, judges deciding that Rwanda is not a safe country for people seeking asylum. Enver Solomon, CEO of the Refugee Council, said:

“We are relieved that the Court of Appeal has ruled that Rwanda is not a safe country for people who claim asylum. However, we’re disappointed that they have not concluded that the overall policy is unlawful.”

“Let’s remember that the UK made an international commitment under the Refugee Convention to provide a safe haven for those fleeing for their lives who seek protection on our soil. This is a source of pride for British people. We must not now turn our backs on this commitment and on the men, women and children from countries like Sudan and Afghanistan who come to us for safety.”

“The threat of being sent to Rwanda has been causing huge distress, anxiety and trauma to those we work with, who have already been through so much. We hope that the Government will take this opportunity to rethink its approach, which would cause great human suffering and damage the UK’s reputation as a country that values human rights and offers those claiming asylum a fair hearing on British soil.”

“Treating people seeking safety like human cargo and shipping them off to another country is a policy that is both unprincipled and unworkable.”

“The Home Office itself this week admitted that it has no evidence that its punitive policies will have a deterrent effect. This is an exorbitantly expensive project that may make headlines but will do absolutely nothing to sort out the very real problems in our asylum system.”

“Instead of pursuing impracticable and costly legislation and policies, the Government should now focus on operating an orderly, humane and fair system.” ■

For more on this story, you can follow Guardian coverage here and BBC coverage here.