Iceland Adds Georgia to List of Safe Countries
The Immigration Directorate of Iceland has included Georgia on its list of safe countries.
"Georgia is a constitutional democracy and is, among other things, a member of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Human rights are generally respected in Georgia and the Georgian constitution ensures the equality of citizens,” the statement of the agency reads.
Iceland's Immigration Service also notes that foreign human rights organizations work without obstacle in Georgia.
"Foreign human rights organizations have also worked in the country without any barriers. The Icelandic Directorate of Immigration has investigated Georgia's situation in relation to asylum seekers from the country and it is clear that all the prerequisites exist for defining Georgia as a safe state," the statement says.
Aside from the EU member states, other countries that have been assessed as safe by the Immigration Directorate of Iceland are: Albania, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Liechtenstein, Kosovo, Macedonia, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland and the United States.
The Agency says that basic human rights are generally respected in the states on this list and the cases of asylum seekers who are nationals of these countries are usually given priority by the Icelandic Directorate of Immigration. Citizens of these states who apply for asylum in Iceland and are not granted asylum are usually returned to their state of origin.
"Each case is especially examined on its own accord, however, taking into account the appropriate information at any time. The fact that an asylum seeker comes from a state on the list can never lead to the Directorate of Immigration not taking his/her case up for consideration or rejecting the application without prior examination. When appropriate, cases of nationals of states on the list undergo general material procedure; therefore the list is only intended for guideline purposes," the official website of the Immigration Directorate of Iceland reads.
By Thea Morrison