Rwanda said the U.N. refugee agency had lied when the organisation told a British court this week that asylum seekers sent to the East African country could be moved on again to states where they risked torture or death.
Lawyers representing the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) told the court on Monday that Rwanda's asylum system was inadequate, as part of a challenge to the British government's policy to deport asylum seekers there.
The lawyers said removing asylum seekers to Rwanda put them at risk of being transferred again in a banned process known as refoulement - building on past evidence which formed an important part of the UK Supreme Court's reasoning when it ruled last year that the British plan was unlawful.
"UNHCR is lying," Rwanda's government spokesperson said in a statement late on Tuesday.
"The organisation seems intent on presenting fabricated allegations to U.K. courts about Rwanda's treatment of asylum seekers, while still partnering with us to bring African migrants from Libya to safety in Rwanda," the spokesperson added.
A UNHCR spokesperson in Rwanda said she had no immediate comment.
Rwanda's government said cases raised by the UNHCR lawyers in court had involved people arriving in Rwanda who had legal status in other countries but did not meet entry requirements, or of people leaving Rwanda voluntarily.
Britain said last week that the first flight to Rwanda would take off on July 24, though that was dependent on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak Conservatives winning national elections on July 4.
That looks unlikely as Britain's opposition Labour Party, leading by about 20 points in opinion polls, has pledged to scrap the plan if elected.
Latest Stories
-
Baby abandoned in manhole in Tema Community 1
4 mins -
We’ll establish fiscal council to rein in excessive borrowing – Finance Minister
10 mins -
Mortuary workers issue fresh strike threat
14 mins -
‘Lapses in banking system are not unique’ – John Awuah on managing fraud in Ghana’s Banks
22 mins -
Bawumia confident of victory in 2024 election
56 mins -
Strengthening audit institutions essential for tackling fiscal mismanagement – Domelevo
1 hour -
Healthy Aging: The Role of the Gut Microbiome and How Diet Can Help
1 hour -
Seek medical care, diagnosis for breast cancer – Dr Abiti to women
1 hour -
Hardship: Men now collect marriage list from different families to get cheapest – Report
1 hour -
‘If you’re looking for trouble, you’ll get it,’ Falz tells VeryDarkMan
1 hour -
Paramount Chief of Avenor grateful to NPP, calls for completion of Agenda 111 project
2 hours -
Bawumia commissions ultramodern office complex for Ho Municipal Assembly
2 hours -
Bawumia declares NPP’s infrastructure record unmatched
2 hours -
Importers face duty on Electric Vehicles despite gov’t’s exemption promises
2 hours -
4 additional Democracy Hub protesters discharged
2 hours