States in the Americas must seize the opportunity to address the situation of hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees in the region from a human rights perspective during the summit to be held in Chiapas, Mexico, on October 22, Amnesty International said today in an open letter to the presidents and ministers attending the event.
“This summit must be the first step towards a future where all states in the Americas guarantee the rights of all the people forced to flee their countries. Solidarity and international cooperation will be key factors in finding comprehensive answers at a time when more and more people are seeking a safe place to rebuild their lives,” said Ana Piquer, Americas director at Amnesty International.
Among its recommendations, the organization calls on states in the region to guarantee the right to seek asylum and the principle of non-refoulement; comply with their obligations of international cooperation and shared responsibility for the protection of people in need of protection; refrain from deploying public security forces and military personnel in immigration enforcement and guarantee access to justice for victims of human rights violations; and refrain from stigmatizing and discriminating against refugees and migrants.
