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world news Diahuebs 16 Juni 2022

Britain vows more Rwanda deportation flights after setback

(AP) — The British gov- criminal gangs that send mi- nize one of these very ex-
ernment vowed Wednes- grants on risky journeys from pensive flights again when
day to organize more France across the English they’ve been so unsuccess-
flights to deport asylum- Channel. ful this time around on legal
seekers from around the grounds?” she said.
world to Rwanda, after a Human rights groups argue
last-minute court judg- that the plan rides roughshod The British government says
ment grounded the first over the protections afforded it welcomes refugees who
plane due to take off un- to refugees under rules set up come by approved immigra-
der the contentious policy. after World War II. They have tion routes but wants to put
called the idea inhumane and the criminal smuggling gangs
Home Secretary Priti Patel a waste of money. Britain paid that operate dangerous cross-
said ”preparation for the next Rwanda 120 million pounds Channel voyages out of busi-
flight begins now” despite ($150 million) up front for ness.
legal rulings that none of the the deal.
migrants earmarked for de- Migration and refugee groups
portation could be sent to the Critics include leaders of grants on the plane to win a Strasbourg-based European point out that there are no
East African country. the Church of England and, reprieve from British judges human rights court, which approved legal routes to Brit-
according to British news with minutes to spare, and Britain helped to set up. A ain for most refugees, with
“We will not be put off by the reports, heir to the throne the government canceled the spokesman for the prime the exception of those flee-
inevitable legal last-minute Prince Charles. then-empty flight. minister: “We are keeping all ing Afghanistan and Ukraine.
challenges,” Patel told law- options on the table,” includ- Britain receives fewer asylum
makers. British courts refused last British Cabinet minister ing legal reforms. applications than compara-
week to ground the first Therese Coffey said the gov- bly sized European countries
Under a deal signed in April, flight, scheduled for Tuesday, ernment was “surprised and A full trial of the legality of such as France and Germany.
Britain plans to send some but the number due to be disappointed” by the ruling. the Rwanda plan is due to be There are also concerns about
migrants from countries in- aboard was whittled down by heard in the British courts by the migrants’ treatment in
cluding Iraq, Afghanistan and appeals and legal challenges, “I think the public will be the end of July. Rwanda, the most densely
Syria who arrive illegally in from 37 last week to seven — surprised at European judges populated country in Africa.
Britain as stowaways or in all men — on Tuesday. overruling British judges,” Human rights lawyer Fran- While Rwanda was the site
small boats to Rwanda, where she told Sky News — though ces Swaine, who represents of a genocide that killed hun-
their asylum claims will be Then the European Court of the European judges did one of the people due to be dreds of thousands of people
processed. If successful, they Human Rights, an interna- not overrule British courts, sent to Rwanda, urged the in 1994, the country has built
will stay in the African coun- tional tribunal supported by which had ruled on the issue government to wait for that a reputation for stability and
try, rather than returning to 46 countries, including Brit- of the flight as a whole, not decision before organizing economic progress since
Britain. ain, ruled late Tuesday that on individual migrants. any more deportation flights. then, the British government
an Iraqi man due to be on the argues.
Prime Minister Boris John- plane shouldn’t fly, saying he Some lawmakers from the “I would be sitting back and
son’s government says the faced “a real risk of irrevers- governing Conservative Par- thinking: Was it worth it, Critics say that stability
plan is a legitimate way to ible harm.” That judgment ty nonetheless say Britain either from a financial or a comes at the cost of political
protect lives and thwart the allowed the final few mi- should withdraw from the legal perspective, to orga- repression.

Israeli court finds Gaza aid worker guilty on terror charges

(AP) — An Israeli court on of millions of dollars to the Islamic turned down several plea bargain of- have prevented the diversion of such
Wednesday found a Gaza aid militant group Hamas that rules the fers on principle that would have al- aid. The court said the full 254-page
worker guilty of several terrorism territory. The trial, and his prolonged lowed him to walk free. decision is “confidential and cannot
charges in a high-profile case in detention, have further strained rela- be made public.”
which his employer, independent tions between Israel and humanitar- El-Halabi has not yet been sentenced.
auditors and the Australian gov- ian organizations that provide aid to World Vision said he would appeal It appeared to rely heavily on a con-
ernment say they have found no Palestinians. the ruling, which was largely based fession by el-Halabi that has not been
evidence of wrongdoing. on classified information that has made public. His lawyer has said the
Both he and World Vision have de- not been made public but was shared confession was given under duress
Mohammed el-Halabi, the Gaza di- nied the allegations and an indepen- with the defense. to an informant and should not have
rector for the international Christian dent audit in 2017 also found no evi- been admitted as evidence.
charity World Vision, was arrested in dence of support for Hamas. His law- The district court in the southern Is-
2016 and accused of diverting tens yer, Maher Hanna, has said el-Halabi raeli city of Beersheba said el-Halabi The court said the confession was
was guilty of several charges, includ- “given in various ways,” and “is de-
ing membership in a terror organi- tailed, coherent, truthful and has
zation, providing information to a many unique details,” including the
terror group, taking part in militant names and ranks of Hamas opera-
exercises and carrying a weapon. tives, and descriptions of strategic lo-
cations in Gaza.
It said he diverted “millions” of dol-
lars every year, as well as equipment, Speaking to reporters immediately
from World Vision and its donors after the verdict, Hanna said he had
to Hamas. It said Hamas used the not yet read the full decision. But
funds for militant activities, as well he accused the judge of siding with
as children’s counseling, food aid and Israeli security forces and relying on
Quran memorization contests for its evidence that has not been made pub-
supporters. Pipes and nylon diverted lic — and which he has previously
to Hamas were used for military pur- described as unreliable.
poses, it said.
“All the judge said, if I want to sum-
The court said it was not convinced marize it in one sentence: ‘The secu-
by World Vision’s testimony that it rity forces cannot be wrong, they are
had firm controls in place that would probably right,’” he told reporters.