Amnesty censures EU-Turkey agreement on refugees
Amnesty International has criticized a deal between the European Union and Turkey to stem the flow of refugees into Europe, urging the EU to put the rights of refugees first.
The rights group issued a statement on Saturday after the deal between the EU and Ankara was struck during a summit of European leaders in the Belgian capital, Brussels, on October 15.
Under the deal, Turkey agreed to confront people-smugglers and act to prevent more refugees fleeing the crisis in Syria from crossing the sea to enter the 28-member European Union.
European leaders, in return, agreed to consider more funds for Turkey to tackle the problem and to accelerate work to ease visa restrictions on Turkish citizens travelling to Europe.
“Talks between the EU and Turkey ... risk putting the rights of refugees a distant second behind border control measures designed to prevent refugees from reaching the EU,” said Andrew Gardner, Amnesty International's Turkey researcher.
He added that the EU should instead look for ways to provide “safe and legal routes” for the refugees who are trying to reach Europe.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is to arrive in Turkey to promote the EU’s offer to top Turkish authorities.
According to officials, the EU is prepared to offer at least three billion euros (USD 3.4 billion) in aid to Turkey, which hosts over two million refugees.
“The current plan fails to offer any concrete assurances on boosting resettlement places for the neediest refugees in Turkey,” Amnesty said, adding that Ankara, in some cases, had sent back refugees to Syria and Iraq by force after they were caught trying to reach the EU.
Thousands of refugees - mostly Syrians, Afghans and Iraqis - try to reach Europe from Turkey, by risking their lives and using inflatable boats.
The International Organization for Migration says more than 600,000 asylum seekers have landed on Europe's shores since January, while over 3,000 have died or gone missing trying to reach Europe.
Latest refugee fatalities
The Turkish coast guard said on Saturday that 12 refugees, including five children, have died off the coast of Turkey en route to the Greek island of Lesbos. Nearly two dozen people were rescued, some by a Turkish fishing boat.
In an earlier incident, Greek officials said four refugees drowned and three other people went missing after their boat turned over off the Aegean island of Kalymnos late on Friday.
The Greek coast guard said on Saturday that the service managed to rescue 13 people and is searching for the missing refugees.
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