Canadian Judge Blasts U.S. Terror Policies
Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 2:14 pm
Hail to Canada, hail to honorable Justice Michael Phelan!
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Source: ABC News Blotter
Because of the U.S. government's policies on torture and refugees, Canada can no longer turn away refugees coming from the United States, a Canadian judge has ruled.
According to Canadian news accounts, Justice Michael Phelan's ruling struck down an agreement that once barred thousands of refugees seeking asylum in Canada. The judge said the United States does not protect refugees fleeing political persecution and torture, which international conventions require.
Instead, it adheres to rigid policies which may result in mistreatment, including forcing victims of abuse to return to the countries in which they were mistreated, he said.
As a result, the United States can no longer be considered a safe place for refugees, Phelan ruled. His ruling nullifies an existing U.S.-Canada agreement saying that if a refugee is turned away from one country, he or she cannot seek refuge in the other. The agreement was intended to reduce so-called "asylum shopping," in which immigrants attempt to obtain refugee status from multiple countries.
more: http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/200 ... dian-ju...
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Source: ABC News Blotter
Because of the U.S. government's policies on torture and refugees, Canada can no longer turn away refugees coming from the United States, a Canadian judge has ruled.
According to Canadian news accounts, Justice Michael Phelan's ruling struck down an agreement that once barred thousands of refugees seeking asylum in Canada. The judge said the United States does not protect refugees fleeing political persecution and torture, which international conventions require.
Instead, it adheres to rigid policies which may result in mistreatment, including forcing victims of abuse to return to the countries in which they were mistreated, he said.
As a result, the United States can no longer be considered a safe place for refugees, Phelan ruled. His ruling nullifies an existing U.S.-Canada agreement saying that if a refugee is turned away from one country, he or she cannot seek refuge in the other. The agreement was intended to reduce so-called "asylum shopping," in which immigrants attempt to obtain refugee status from multiple countries.
more: http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/200 ... dian-ju...