Reinforcing the institutional and legal framework for safeguarding and promoting human rights and enhancing the protection of migrants and asylum seekers are the key recommendations addressed to the Swiss authorities by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muižnieks, in a report published today following his visit to the country in May 2017.
The Commissioner welcomes the new law on asylum, which should result in faster and higher quality procedures for determining refugee status, in particular through the provision of free legal assistance from the outset. Noting that there are plans to revise the rules on temporary admission, which apply amongst others to Syrians who have fled the conflict, the Commissioner calls on the authorities to establish an international subsidiary protection status guaranteeing the same rights as are granted to persons holding official refugee status. “It is unacceptable to place people in a long-lasting difficult and precarious situation that impedes their integration, when they are very likely to stay in Switzerland for a long time. Consequently, the legal restrictions that this status imposes on persons needing international protection should be lifted, especially with regard to geographical mobility, family reunification and social assistance”, said the Commissioner.
