June 15 (UPI) -- A deportation flight bound for Rwanda carrying asylum seekers from the United Kingdom, did not take off as scheduled after a last-minute intervention by the European Court of Human Rights.
"The European Court of Human Rights decided to grant an urgent interim measure, under Rule 39 of the Rules of Court, in the case of K.N. v. the United Kingdom, an asylum-seeker from Iraq who was facing imminent removal to Rwanda, following the recent establishment of an asylum partnership arrangement between the UK Government and the Government of the Republic of Rwanda," the court said in a statement.
"Measures under Rule 39 are decided in connection with proceedings before the Court, without prejudging any subsequent decisions on the admissibility or merits of the case."
The plane was slated to leave Tuesday evening, carrying asylum seekers who entered Britain illegally. The European court's ruling provides a three-week window to resolve appeals underway in Britain's domestic court system.
Further requests for interim measures in cases concerning asylum-seekers' imminent removal from the UK to Rwandahttps://t.co/yZ4C7z14AE#ECHR #CEDH #ECHRpress pic.twitter.com/nZiygHmyS4— ECHR CEDH (@ECHR_CEDH) June 15, 2022