Prof. Fionnuala Ní Aoláin Quoted in Middle East Eye About U.K. Not Repatriating British Nationals in Syria

Professor Fionnuala Ní Aoláin, Regents Professor; Robina Chair in Law, Public Policy, and Society; and faculty director of Minnesota Law’s Human Rights Center, was quoted in Middle East Eye about calls for the repatriations of British nationals held in Syrian prison camps. According to Rights and Security International, the U.K. has repatriated just four women and 21 children from Syria. Up to 72 additional nationals are being held there including up to 40 children, mostly under the age of 10. The lack of repatriation by the U.K. is in contrast to many other countries that have repatriated most of their own nationals according to Prof. Ní Aoláin, the former U.N. special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism. She said, “The U.K. is a complete outlier, and actually with very little reasonable basis for that, given we've seen successful repatriation in other countries and recidivism is really low. The data is very clear. On every single measure, the U.K. is out of step with its partners, including its security partners globally.”