Post-Deportation Monitoring Network

last update: April 2013

What happens to rejected asylum seekers post-deportation is still largely unknown. They might be apprehended by state security and sent to prison, tortured, tried for treason, or even killed.

While evidence is increasing that many rejected asylum seekers who are deported are grossly mistreated in receiving countries, deporting countries do not monitor what happens after deportation. We argue that such deportations can amount to refoulement.

Many organisations that work with rejected asylum seekers pending deportation have long been aware of this problem. Yet most organisations in host countries do not have the capacity to do post-deportation monitoring. Moreover, while organisations in receiving countries are willing to help, they simply do not know when someone is being deported.

The Post-Deportation Monitoring Network (PDMN) aims to address these issues. Our team is in the process of identifying and recruiting partner organisations and committed individuals in deporting and receiving countries. These organisations and individuals are compiled in our online directory.

This network has three main goals:

• to protect and assist rejected asylum seekers post-deportation;
• to document and report post-deportation human rights violations;
• and to use such reports to lobby governments in host countries to change their asylum policies.

Post-Deportation Monitoring Network online: http://www.refugeelegalaidinformation.org/post-deportation-monitoring-network