Observations from UNHCR on law proposal on restrictions in the Finnish asylum system

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has submitted our observations to the Finnish government’s law proposal that seeks to introduce a number of restrictions in the Finnish asylum system.

The proposed amendments include reductions of legal aid in the first instance, removal of safeguards concerning detention and expulsion proceedings, and change of the appeals process.

UNHCR appreciates the intention to create a more expeditious treatment of asylum cases in the courts but regrets that that some of the other amendments restrict current good practices in Finland, for instance the proposal to shorten the appeal period.

The observations are available here.