Member-only story
Switzerland is not Living up to its Humanitarian Reputation
Alireza, an 18-year old Afghan asylum seeker in Geneva, took his own life on November 30th, 2022. He had just received a decision from the Federal Administrative Court (TAF) confirming the decision by the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM): his asylum application would not be considered. He would be sent back to Greece, a country whose sole mention triggered his anxiety, he had experienced abuse in the refugee camp of Moira.
A press release from the Centre Social Protestant[1] indicates the authorities deliberately ignored the medical report stating the youngster’s vulnerability and risk of suicide. The decision is not only inhumane, it violates the TAF’s own jurisprudence. Indeed, in March of this year the Federal Administrative Court determined[2] stricter criteria for the enforcement of the return to Greece of extremely vulnerable protected persons, acknowledging that Greece does not currently offer the necessary conditions.
Last year, in a case involving a Syrian mother and her stateless eleven-year old child, the Committee on the Rights of the Child[3] found Switzerland’s decision to expel mother and child in violation of ten articles of the convention. (See A Child vs Switzerland)
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