The UK and Sweden return a group of Iraqis to Baghdad

On Wednesday, the UK Border Agency together with the Swedish authorities and the EU Border Agency, Frontex, returned a group of Iraqis to Baghdad, despite UNHCR criticism and Amnesty International warnings against forced returns expressed earlier this year.

UNHCR said that “We are very concerned about reports that the Home Office has returned Iraqis to Baghdad. The situation for minorities in Iraq is very precarious. There has been a deterioration in security.”

Last year, the European Court of Human Rights reinforced its decision to suspend forced returns to Iraq in a number of individual cases against, among others, the UK and Sweden.