Udvalget for Udlændinge- og Integrationspolitik 2010-11 (1. samling)
UUI Alm.del Bilag 49
Offentligt
United Nations High Commissioner for RefugeesHaulCommissariatdes Nations Unies pour les refuqies
UNHCRCase postaIe 2500CH-1211Geneve29 November 2010Dear Mr Fribergh,I acknowledge receipt of the letter of the Registry of 5 November 2010 addressed to the UNHCR Representativetothe European Institutions in Strasbourg,requesting UNHCR's current position on the matter of forced returns toIraq.UNHCR welcomes the Court's interest in UNHCR's position on this issue and follows closely theCourt'sdecisionsrelated to the application of interim measures under Rule 39 of the Rules of Courtinrespectofforced returns to Iraq.In reply to your letter, I reaffirm the continued validity of UNHCR's Note issuedinJuly 20lOontheContinuedApplicability of the April 2009 UNHCR Eligibility Guidelines for Assessing the InternationalProtection Needs ofIraqi Asylum-Seekers.In particular, as indicated in that Note, UNHCR will continue to monitor developments in thecountry and will updatethe April 2009 UNHCR Guidelines once it judges that the situation is sufficiently changed. Thisis currently not thecase in light,inter alia,of the unpredictable security situation, the continued serious risks of humanrights violations,and the poor social conditions.Therefore, UNHCR advises those involved in the adjudication ofinternationalprotection claims lodged by asylum-seekers from Iraq and those responsible for establishing government policy in relation to this population to continueto rely on the April 2009 UNHCR Guidelines.Accordingly,UNHCR recommends that States refrain from forcibly returningIraqis who originatefromthe fiveCentral Governorates or who belong to the specific groups which have been identified in UNHCR' sguidelines to beat risk and who originate from the Southern Governorates andAl-Anbar,UNHCR recommends against suchforcedreturns until such time as there is substantial improvement in the security and human rights situation in the country.UNHCR will inform the Registry when updated and revised EligibilityGuidelinesare issued.Yours sincerely,
J).Vol er TUrkDirectorDivision of International Protection
Mr Erik FriberghRegistrarEuropean Court of Human RightsStrasbourgCc: Ms Agnes Van Steijn, Legal Secretary, Registry of the European Court of Human RightsAttachments:UNHCR Note on the Continued Applicability of the April 2009 UNHCR EligibilityGuidelinesfor Assessing the International Protection Needs ofIraqi Asylum-Seekers, 28 July2010;UNHCR Eligibility Guidelines for Assessing the International Protection Needs of IraqiAsylum-Seekers, April 2009;UNHCR Press Release,3 September 2010.
