“No Borders” project of non-profit organization Social Action Centre first was created in 2006 as informal initiative of grassroots activists in response to unlawful extradition of 11 refugees from Ukraine to Uzbekistan. This initiative’ goal was to attract public attention to civic protests and problems of refugees in Ukraine. Among the sphere of interests of “No Borders” activists were freedom of movement, refugees’ rights in Ukraine, counteraction to xenophobia and racism in Ukrainian society.
With the change of activity character and number of participants, initiative was the beginning of specialized “No Borders” project as a part of Social Action Centre and transformed its work. “No Borders” project started daily operation and opened “Help Centre” for refugees.
Now, together with other human rights NGOs and international organizations, works to protect and promote human rights in such spheres:
1.attract attention to problems and defects in the system of asylum in Ukraine; initiate discussion of the difficult situation in which refugees and asylum seekers live in Ukraine;
2.counteraction to racism and xenophobia in Ukrainian society, including hate crimes; right now this problem is recognized by Ukrainian authorities due to effective and mass campaign conducted by Ukrainian and international NGOs;
3.attract attention of society to the problem of hate speech usage in Ukraine, specially but not only, by politicians and mass media – topic which was not previous discussed;
4.attract attention to the human rights abuses concerning freedom of movement, migrants rights in Ukraine and Europe, discriminatory migration and police practices.
To reach such goals, “No Borders” project implements or participates in programs and projects concerning:
More about current projects and our activity see on our web site materials.
Who supported us:
Kyiv (Ukraine) – The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees continues to be concerned about the situation of a Kyrgyz national who was denied access to Ukrainian territory in Boryspil airport where she arrived by the flight from Kazakhstan on 29 March 2012.
Statement of the international transborder meeting in Turkey, made on March 18, 2012 in front of Edirne detention centre
Kyiv (Ukraine) – The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has noted that on 3 March 2012 European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg ordered Ukrainian authorities in response to a petition to the Court under Rule 39 that 3 stowaways on the ship docked at Mykolayiv seaport (2 from Eritrea, 1 from Ethiopia) should be allowed to disembark from the vessel and be granted access to asylum procedure to exercise their right to seek asylum.
Further information on UA: 29/12 Index: EUR 50/002/2012 Ukraine Date: 22 February 2012
URGENT ACTION
detained asylum-seekers stop hunger strike
The strike, held in protest by the group of Somali asylum-seekers and migrants, against their illegal detention and alleged ill-treatment, lasted for six weeks. The strike was halted by the group on 17 February after they received assurances from the State Migration Service that their asylum applications would be considered.
UNHCR is relieved to hear that the hunger strikes have ended at both detention centres in the Volyn and Chernigiv regions of Ukraine. The detainees, including many asylum-seekers and minors, were protesting against the length of their detention and demanded that the authorities consider their asylum claims in compliance with international standards.
Source: Human Rights Watch site
(Moscow, February 1, 2012) - The Ukrainian authorities should immediately stop police harassment and threats against Somali asylum seekers held at the Zhuravychi Migrant Accommodation Centre, Human Rights Watch said today. In a letter sent to the Ukrainian authorities, Human Rights Watch also called for the immediate release of all Somali asylum seekers who are being held in administrative detention pending deportation.
Source: UNHCR site
UNHCR remains concerned about the situation of detainees, including many asylum-seekers and minors who are currently held in two detention centres in the Volyn and Chernigiv regions[1] of Ukraine. Their situation remains problematic even after several visits of UNHCR staff and NGO lawyers and Government officials. To obtain clarity more visits and interviews are scheduled for the coming weeks.
Amnesty International has urged the Ukrainian authorities to stop the ill-treatment of a group of detained asylum-seekers and their supporters, who were attacked by security forces attempting to forcibly end a hunger strike.
To: Vitaliy Zakharchenko, Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine
Dear Mr. Zakharchenko:
We are writing to raise our concern about the arbitrary detention of some or all of a group of 125 Somali nationals detained at the Zhuravychi Migrant Accommodation Centre (MAC). Some of them are registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) or the Ukrainian authorities as asylum seekers. Around 80 have told UNHCR they want to apply for asylum in Ukraine, but have not been allowed to do so.
Below is a part of Human Rights Watch report 2012 about the situation with human rights in Uzbekistan.
Uzbekistan’s human rights record remains appalling, with no meaningful improvements in 2011. Torture remains endemic in the criminal justice system. Authorities continue to target civil society activists, opposition members, and journalists, and to persecute religious believers who worship outside strict state controls.
Freedom of expression remains severely limited. Government-sponsored forced child labor during the cotton harvest continues. Authorities continued to deny justice for the 2005 Andijan massacre in which government forces shot and killed hundreds of protestors, most of them unarmed.
Reacting to the pro-democracy Arab Spring movements, the Uzbek government increased the presence of security forces across the country and widened its already-tight control over the internet. Despite the government’s persistent refusal to address concerns about its abysmal record, the United States and European Union continued to advance closer relations with the Uzbek government in 2011, seeking cooperation in the war in Afghanistan.
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