– These cases have led to a growing concern among human rights organisations and lawyers that Norway takes excessive risks in its rejections of asylum applications of persons coming from countries known to violate human rights on a massive scale, says Gunnar Ekeløve-Slydal.
He is the editor of the report, co-ordinator of the NGO Forum and Deputy Secretary General of the Norwegian Helsinki Committee.
Alternative report
The Norwegian NGO Forum for Human Rights has raised concerns on a wide range of issues to the United Nations Human Rights Committee in an alternative report to the official 7th report of Norway.
The organisations urge the UN Human Rights Committee to challenge Norway to strengthen rights of asylum seekers, women and detainees.
– We bring up important issues related to detention of children asylum seekers and question the safety of returning asylum seekers to Russia and other countries with a non-functioning asylum system, in breach of non-refoulement principles, says Gunnar M. Ekeløve-Slydal.
The NGO Forum recommends
- Respect of non-refoulement
- Better protection of freedom of religion or belief
- Step up efforts to eliminate discrimination in the tenancy market
- Better measures to prevent and address violence against women
- Strengthen free legal aid schemes
Other topics covered in the report included safeguards against statelessness, rights of persons belonging to the Romani people/Taters, and rules related to family immigration.
The NGO Forum report was drafted by Amnesty International Norway, Jussbuss, The Norwegian Organization for Asylum Seekers (NOAS), The Norwegian Humanist Association and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and endorsed by several other NGO Forum members.
The Norwegian NGO Forum is a network of 42 Norwegian organizations active on human rights issues. It endeavours to influence states to prioritize a principled and comprehensive approach towards strengthening human rights.