Amnesty urges Algeria not to deport Yemen refugees
Amnesty urges Algeria not to deport Yemen refugees
Amnesty International has called on Algeria to immediately halt the deportation of seven Yemeni immigrants who could face death in their home country.
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President Abdelmadjid Tebboune's government is planning to deport Yemeni refugees [Getty]
The human rights group Amnesty International has urged Algeria not to go ahead with the planned deportation of seven Yemeni asylum seekers.
"Seven Yemeni asylum seekers face imminent deportation from Algeria, which is considered a serious violation of international law," Amnesty said in a statement on Wednesday.
Refugees had said they had a "fear of death if they were deported to Yemen due to the tragic conditions back home", according to the statement.
As a result Amnesty called on Algerian authorities "to prevent forcible returns" and "to provide access to asylum procedures for young Yemenis".
Yemen has been ravaged by conflict since 2014, when Iran-backed Houthis took control of the capital Sanaa, prompting intervention from a Saudi-led coalition in favour of the internationally recognized government.
Tens of thousands of people have been killed since then and the UN has called Yemen "the world's worst humanitarian crisis".
Over five years of conflict, more than 3.6 million people have fled their homes and 24 million people - some 80 per cent of the population – are in need of humanitarian assistance.
The country suffers from extreme food shortages, almost non-existent healthcare, and lack of safe water and sanitation.
The conflict has become more complex as it has dragged on. The internationally-recognized government's authority has not only been challenged by the Houthi rebels, but by southern separatists who are backed by the UAE.
Earlier this week, however, Yemen’s internationally recognised government and southern separatists formed a unity cabinet.
This move was supported by Saudi Arabia, which hopes to quell the "war within a civil war" between President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi's government and the southern separatists and create a united front against the Houthis.
"Seven Yemeni asylum seekers face imminent deportation from Algeria, which is considered a serious violation of international law," Amnesty said in a statement on Wednesday.
Refugees had said they had a "fear of death if they were deported to Yemen due to the tragic conditions back home", according to the statement.
As a result Amnesty called on Algerian authorities "to prevent forcible returns" and "to provide access to asylum procedures for young Yemenis".
Yemen has been ravaged by conflict since 2014, when Iran-backed Houthis took control of the capital Sanaa, prompting intervention from a Saudi-led coalition in favour of the internationally recognized government.
Tens of thousands of people have been killed since then and the UN has called Yemen "the world's worst humanitarian crisis".
Over five years of conflict, more than 3.6 million people have fled their homes and 24 million people - some 80 per cent of the population – are in need of humanitarian assistance.
The country suffers from extreme food shortages, almost non-existent healthcare, and lack of safe water and sanitation.
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The conflict has become more complex as it has dragged on. The internationally-recognized government's authority has not only been challenged by the Houthi rebels, but by southern separatists who are backed by the UAE.
Earlier this week, however, Yemen’s internationally recognised government and southern separatists formed a unity cabinet.
This move was supported by Saudi Arabia, which hopes to quell the "war within a civil war" between President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi's government and the southern separatists and create a united front against the Houthis.
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