A deportation flight from the UK to Jamaica took off in the early hours of Wednesday morning. On board were 13 men of the original 50 destined for the flight. Campaigners continue to protest, saying that the UK's deportation laws "condone child cruelty" by separating parents from children.
Various European parliamentarians have once again called for the director of Frontex, Fabrice Leggeri, to resign over allegations that the European border agency was involved in pushbacks of migrants in Aegean waters between Greece and Turkey.
Italy must grant family benefits to non-EU citizens who are long-term residents, even if their family members are not living in the EU, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled on Wednesday.
Greece says it is abolishing the practice of holding unaccompanied migrant children in police custody. The announcement comes as Europe's top human rights watchdog said Greece was detaining migrants in unacceptable conditions and called for an end to illegal pushbacks.
Malta's government is facing legal action over alleged rights abuses. Migrants say Maltese authorities left them stranded at sea before ordering their return to Libya in a fishing boat.
Italy's National Guarantor for the Rights of Persons Deprived of Liberty expressed "perplexity and concern" over the transfer of migrants to a quarantine ship after they tested positive for the coronavirus. They had previously been hosted for some time at migrant reception centers.
The European Union's border and coast guard agency Frontex has launched an internal investigation after claims it was involved in pushbacks of migrants at Greece’s external borders. It said it does not tolerate rights violations in its activities.
A new report from the UK charity Doctors of the World, based on case studies over two years 2018-2020, highlights how the NHS charging policy in the UK for those without an accepted migration status is leading to delays, destitution and sometimes barriers to adequate care. Some have died as a result.
The Aachen Peace Prize 2020 is being awarded to Père Antoine Exelmans, a priest who has dedicated his life to helping migrants and refugees in Morocco. The German award is given each year to women, men or groups who fight against injustice and for peace.
There have been mixed reactions to the new EU pact on migration. The European Commission sought consensus ahead of the pact in order to pass the policy into law even through countries which had been resisting the idea of mandatory quotas. Many human rights organizations though have slammed the proposals.
In a joint legal complaint, human rights organizations Oxfam and WeMove Europe have called on the European Commission to investigate what they say are "systematic breaches of EU law" by Greece in its treatment of asylum seekers.
Lebanon is abolishing its sponsorship system for domestic workers, which many have likened to slavery. According to local media, the decision is "an enormous step" in the fight for human rights.