Monthly Archive for May, 2011

31-05-2011

On May 31, 2011 the first meeting of National Managing Committee SIREADA took place chaired by coordinator of the programme SVMM Mr. Steven Rodgers (IOM) directed upon the support of introduction of Agreements on Readmission between EU and Republic o Moldova, Russian Federation and Ukraine: assistance in aid rendering to voluntary return and reintegration.

On the part of Ukraine following persons participated in the meeting: director of Department of Refugees of State migration Service Nataliya Naumenko, representative of SDCIRPP MOI of Ukraine Mykola Shmorgun and Ivan Rybalko as well as representatives of State Border Service and Ministry of Economic Development and Trade.

Realization of project SIREADA has been carried out by International Organization of Migration at the financial support of European Union since March 2011 until February 2013.

Ministry of Interior of Ukraine, State Border Service of Ukraine, State Migration Service were recognized as the beneficiaries of the project.

The principal components of project SIREADA have become: program of voluntary return; legal, social and medical aid for migrants kept at long/short-detentions centers for foreigners and persons without citizenship who stay illegally in Ukraine; potential strengthening in reintegration of citizens of Ukraine who return from the countries of EU undergoing any voluntary procedures or are returned from EU countries in order of readmission.

During the first meeting parties provided with general comments concerning the current state of implementation of Agreement between Ukraine and EU about the readmission of persons, situation in the detention centers, cooperation with NGOs involved in counseling the migrants and rendering social assistance.

 Proposals were expressed separately as to improvement of the cooperation among governmental structures, international and human rights organizations aiming at realization of the components of project SIREADA.

Source:http://www.dmsu.gov.ua/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=449%3Avidbulos-pershe-zasidanna-nacionalnogo-kerivnogo-komitetu-projektu-sireada&catid=1%3Alatest-news&Itemid=1&lang=uk

26-05-2011

The officers of Border Police (RHP) of the village Sobrance recently arrested seven foreigners at Slovakia-Ukrainian border. The most number of arrested persons were refugees from Somalia.Officers of Border Control Department arrested three trespassers from Somalia in the forest area on May 24, 2011.

The same day one more citizen from Russia (Chechnya) was apprehended in the district of Sobrance.  He aimed at getting to Austria to find a job there.

Three more Somalis were detained at Slovakia-Ukrainian border at 1:10 a.m. near the village Sobrance.

According to the words of press secretary in Sobrance, at the present moment a question is under solution as to handing the illegal migrants to Ukrainian side from where they arrived when crossing Slovakian border i.e. to Transcarpathian border guards.

Source: http://ua-reporter.com/novosti/103987

22-05-2011

The officers of border police of Maramuresh (Romania) detained two persons not far from the border line who were moving far inland of Ukraine (Transcarpathian region)…

It was established at once that men did not speak Romanian and did not have any documents identifying their personality. Detainees were citizens of Georgia (Gagry) of the age 24 and 26 years old. They explained that they illegally crossed the state border of Ukraine and Romania intending to move through Romania by transit way to the countries of Western Europe in order to find job. Romanian border guards are preparing a criminal case against arrested citizens of Georgia for the illegal cross of the border.

Source: http://ua-reporter.com/novosti/103851

20-05-2011

How does Ukraine observe international regulations? How do refugees live in our society? What are the main problems in the system of refugee status grant in Ukraine and possible ways of such problems’ solution? Press-conference was devoted to these and accompanying problems held in Press-club on May 20, 2011. Technical organizer of the action was Foundation “Rokada” (Kyiv) in cooperation with URC at the support of the programme “East-East: partnership with no borders” of International Fund “Renaissance”.

In 2002 Ukraine joined the UNO Convention about refugee status which is 60 years this year. Regardless of worked practice in the course of six decades as well as the experience of Ukrainian Asylum System (which has functioned in different forms during 15 years), refugees and asylum seekers in Ukraine still face the system problems.

Director of CF “Rokada” (Kyiv) Nataliya Gurzhiy reported about Ukrainian Refugee Council (URC) and its activity since the moment of its establishment. She reminded that “URC is a network of non-governmental organizations helping in Ukraine and especially its governmental bodies to assist refugees and asylum seekers implementing international obligations of Ukraine”. Mrs. Gurzhiy also stated that press-conference was dedicated to results of the meeting held on May 19, 2011 in Lviv at the participation of URC members ad two new attracted organization: Charitable Organization “Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattya” and Public Organization “ Faith, Hope, Love” (“Vira, Nadiya, Lubov”). The following problems were discussed at the meeting – legal and social protection of refugees, participants’ experience as well as elaboration of new strategies, forms and methods of work with governmental bodies.

Nowadays, organizations rendering assistance to refugees face with cases when asylum seeker cannot submit documents for refugee status. However, even he/she succeeded to get official status of refugee he is expected some problems on employment and integration. In general, a percentage of those being granted with refugee status is rather low: in accordance with data of Ukrainian State Bodies confirmed by UNHCR in 2010 (July – December) only 10% of submitted application were recognized (this index is sufficiently high in comparison with previous years) – i.e. out of 100 persons applied for asylum to Ukraine just ten got it juridically. At the same time, the level of rejects in accordance with formal criteria (i.e. without consideration of applications as a matter of fact) reaches 46% – it was told by a lawyer of PO “South Ukrainian Centre of Young Lawyers” (Odessa) Maryna Kurochkina. Ukraine is a signer of Convention 1951 about refugee status and it bares a complete responsibility for asylum seekers at its territory. She named already 6-year reforming of state structures that regulate a problem of asylum assignment, one of the reasons causing impossibility to realize assistance of refugees in a necessary amount.

The head of juridical-consultation centre of trade union “Solidarity”, “Human rights have no borders” (Lviv) Nataliya Dulneva reported about the problems human rights organizations face when working with refugees and asylum seekers in Lviv, Volyn and Chernivtsi regions. She paid special attention to problems appear before asylum seekers from Chechnya. The cases of non-access of lawyers to detained refugees happen often. At the same time Nataliya Dulneva marked a positive experience in cooperation with Chernivtsi Migration Service in the sphere of protection of refugees’ rights.

Reference

Ukrainian Refugee Council is informal union of Ukrainian public organizations and charitable funds working for the sake of refuges and asylum seekers’ rights and interests protection. The members of the Council are: CF “Rokada” (Kyiv), CF “Donetsk Fund of Social Protection and Charity (Donetsk), CO “Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattya” (Uzhgorod), International Public Organization “International Movement “Amnesty International in Ukraine”, International Charitable Foundation of Environment  and Health Protection “Region Karpat” (NEEKA), Foundation on Naturalization of Rights and Human Rights “Assistance” (“Spryyannya) (Simferopol), PO “Vinnytsa Human Rights Group”, Juridical-consultation Centre of trade union “Solidarity” “Human Rights have no borders” (Lviv) Trade Union “Solidarity” (Lviv), PO “South Ukrainian Centre of Young Lawyers” (Odessa), BF “Caritas”, PO “Social Action” (Kyiv), KOCF “Social Service of Assistance” (Kharkiv), Public Organization “Faith, Hope, Love” (Odessa).

The goal of the project “From interworking to partnership: accumulation of potential of Ukrainian Refugee Council” implemented by Charitable Fund “Rokada” at the support of Programme “East-East: partnership with no borders” of International Fund “Renaissance” is to spread successful practices in public actions among public organizations of Ukraine, which favor improvement of legal and social situation of refugees and persons seeking asylum in Ukraine.

Source:http://www.daily.lviv.ua/news/32668

20-05-2011

Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees marks systematic breaches of Convention on Refugee Status and absence of state policy in this sphere in Kyiv

«We do not have force instruments in order to make somebody fulfill his/her obligations. If government violates the regulations of convention it means it does not correspond to standards of democratic freedoms»,— said regional representative of UNHCR Oldrih Andrisek. He emphasized that European Union will refuse from granting with membership in this organization as a punishment for Kyiv. «It is one of the conditions for the candidates as to entry to EU», — he added.

Mr. Andrisek named the openness of confidential personal information about the pretended persons for refugee status to strangers to be among the most evident breaches of the convention regulations. However, this problem equally touches Ukrainians. Judicial company AstappovLawyers states that deportations of refugee status pretenders to the country where they can face tortures as well as perhaps death are among breaches of international legislation by Ukrainian authorities.  The representative of UNHCR partner-company Ivan Lischyna marked that Convention prohibits deportation of group of persons and also invitation to Migration Bodies waiting for decision about their fortune for their further detention. Exactly so, five citizens of Uzbekistan were detained by policemen and supposedly by workers of SSU. In July last year they got to Lukyanivskyi investigation isolation ward because public prosecutor’s office was seeking after their extradition to country of origin. Everybody is suspected in commitment of grave crime against the government just on the grounds of the fact that they do not belong to movement of Islam uncontrolled to regimen of President Karimov. One of the detainees had to be released in some weeks. The other man was set free after more than six-months prison term – he was recognized as a refugee with a right of following departure to a third country. Three more pretenders stay inside the prison for the resent moment. Negative attitude to foreigners looking for asylum in Ukraine does not depend on the shift of authorities in Kyiv. Deportation of Uzbeks in 2006 seriously spoiled image of the country when the previous team was at the head of Ukraine. When arriving to the airport of Tashkent deported persons from Ukraine were condemned at court sittings for durable terms according to the accusation of crimes against constitutional order. The practice testifies that in conditions of Uzbek prisons condemned persons on religious motives die during imprisonment or return back home as handicapped persons.

Ukrainian legislation permits to keep under arrest foreigners hiding from pursuit up to one year and a half. “It does not correspond to world regulations”, – representative of Centre of Law Reform and Bill Works of Ministry of Justice, Elena Synchuk confessed in the course of a talk. According to her words Ministry designed a bill foreseeing the broadening of refugees’ rights. In particular, it is foreseen to allow them to work legally in the country. “The head Expert-Analytical Administration of Council considered our proposals as too burdensome for state treasury and much too liberal in regards to refugees, thus a document was returned as requiring improvement”, – Mrs. Synchuk announced.

The final decision of foreigners’ destiny looking for asylum in Ukraine will be made by the court. In accordance with data of UNHCR on January 1, 2011 there were 1345 persons in the country waiting for a decision of migration bodies and court as to their applications on granting them with corresponding status. In the course of six months 2011, 10% of applicants were granted refugee right. Administrative reform and reorganization of Sate Migration Service have only worsened the situation. “The other day I met the head of newly created service. Apparently, that they are just thinking of the plan how should they work. This service is still out of order and cannot work normally”, – Mr. Andrisek stated. At the same time he is not inclined to apprehend the practice of Ukrainian courts when considering the applications on asylum as a result of system policy. UNHCR representative supposes a formal approach as a consequence of judges’ overload and absence of proper training. Regional representation of UNCR is planning to conduct three-day seminar for judges from Ukraine, Belorussia and Moldova in order to meet a lack partially in education.

 Source:http://state.eizvestia.com/full/oon-obeshhaet-kievu-problemy