Asylum Seekers Barred From Entering US: Daily Brief
Asylum seekers barred from entering US; collective punishment in Syria; Kuwait puts Egyptian dissidents at risk of torture; Germany’s former spy chief’s tweets cause alarm; a blow to victims of abuse in Burundi; people with disabilities finally included in climate change debate; worldwide hunger increases; & movement to lift stadium ban for women in Iran gains traction.
A new rule issued by the Trump administration and effective from today will see asylum seekers who have travelled through a third country before reaching the US be sent back without any guarantees for their safety or a fair hearing. The “Third-Country Asylum Rule” flouts existing US law and effectively bars from asylum nearly anyone who crosses the southern US border.
The Syrian government is dishing out collective punishment to entire families of people placed arbitrarily on a terrorist list.
By returning eight Egyptian dissidents who had sought refuge in Kuwait back home to Egypt, Kuwait authorities have put the men at grave risk of torture and persecution.
Germany’s former spy chief Georg Maaßen has sparked alarm by his sharing of far-right tweets. Maaßen was forced to step down last year after he questioned the authenticity of video footage showing far-right protesters in Chemnitz chasing down migrants.
The leader of a Burundian militia accused of numerous atrocities, Eric Nshimirimana, is to head up the state broadcaster, RTNB. The appointment is a blow to press freedom but also to all victims of abuse perpetrated by the Imbonerakure militia.
A new UN resolution on climate change and the rights of people with disabilities calls on governments to adopt a disability-inclusive approach when addressing climate change. The resolution finally makes people with disabilities part of the discussions.
Reaching the Zero Hunger target of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 will be “an immense challenge”, a new UN report finds. After a decade of progress the number of people who suffer from hunger has increased again over the past three years.
And finally: A movement to lift the football stadium ban for women in Iran is gaining traction. The campaign’s leaders, who include the sister of Iran’s football team captain, are asking FIFA to ban Iran from World Cup qualifying unless the country changes the law.