Rwanda ‘not safe enough’ for asylum deal and Priti Patel must reconsider, parliamentary committee says

MPs and peers raise ‘fundamental concerns’ over compliance with international law

Priti Patel must reconsider a deal to send asylum seekers to Rwanda because it is not safe enough and may break the law, a parliamentary committee has said.

A letter to the home secretary warned that removing people against their will to “another state where they face a real risk of serious human rights abuses” is prohibited under international law.

Joanna Cherry QC, chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights, said: “While we have received mixed reports on the safety of Rwanda, particularly for vulnerable groups, and the adequacy of its asylum system, we are not satisfied that it is a sufficiently safe destination to be a partner in this kind of asylum agreement.”