On Wednesday morning, a plane to Nigeria took off from Vilnius, carrying a group of seven migrants who had been denied asylum in Lithuania. Activists argue that the deportation was illegal, as the asylum seekers were not given the chance to appeal the decision. According to the authorities, however, everything was done by the book, even though one person was allowed to remain in the country at the last moment.
Alleged violation of international treaties
“Tonight, asylum seekers will be put on a plane for deportation,” the NGO Sienos Grupė (Border Group), which provides assistance to migrants, posted on Facebook on Tuesday night.
According to the group, the asylum seekers’ detailed applications were processed very quickly, within a few days, and the decisions were translated to them by phone just before the flight. In Nigeria, they face prosecution and possible death, the group said.
“The Migration Department does not hear people, does not read the law. Nor does Lithuania care about international obligations,” Sienos Grupė said.
LRT.lt contacted one of the Nigerians a few hours before he found out about his deportation from Lithuania. The young man said he wanted to stay in Lithuania and was employed in a company. He said he did not understand why he had to leave Lithuania if the Migration Department’s decision stated that he could appeal it within seven days.
He also said that he belonged to an organisation that is persecuted in Nigeria and that Boko Haram had killed his parents.
Return of one person suspended
Deputy Interior Minister Arnoldas Abramaičius confirmed on Wednesday that the case of one asylum seeker was in doubt and his deportation was suspended.
“The return of one citizen has been suspended because the procedures are probably not fully completed,” Abramavičius told a meeting of the parliamentary Human Rights Committee on Wednesday.
At a media conference organised by the Interior Ministry, representatives of the State Border Guard Department (VSAT) and the Migration Department insisted that the procedure was followed properly.
“Seven Nigerian citizens were deported las night [early hours of Wednesday],” confirmed VSAT deputy head Rimantas Petrauskas, adding that a total of 50 migrants have been sent from Lithuania this year.
According to Evelina Gudzinskaitė, head of the Migration Department, the deportation was within the law and organised by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency FRONTEX.
“They [Nigerian asylum seekers] had submitted a repeated asylum application, it was processed as a matter of urgency and a decision made that it was unsubstantiated,” she told reporters on Wednesday.
The Nigerians will be able to appeal against the decision of the Lithuanian authorities in Nigeria, she added.
“They have the right to appeal the decision because they have lawyers who represent their interests here in Lithuania. And the lawyers have the right to appeal against the decision,” Gudzinskaitė said.
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