LONDON: Britain’s government Monday enacted new measures to accelerate the deportation of foreign criminals, clamping down on some who have claimed protection under UK law as purported victims of “modern slavery.”
It cited the case of one convicted rapist who appealed against a decision by the Home Office (interior ministry) to expel him from Britain, by claiming he was a victim of criminal gangs engaged in human trafficking.
He was bailed pending the appeal, committed another rape, and remains in the UK, the Home Office said.
“It is totally unfair that genuine victims of modern slavery may be left waiting longer to receive the protections they need due to the flagrant abuse of the system,” Home Secretary Suella Braverman said in a statement.
“The changes coming into force will mean if you’ve committed an offense, we have the power to refuse your protections and kick you out of our country,” she said.
The measures taking effect under a new Nationality and Borders Act mean that Home Office caseworkers can in future demand evidence of modern slavery, rather than taking a victim’s word.
That could include evidence from a charity worker or police officer who has helped rescue the victim.
But the changes have been criticized by rights groups for undermining protections for genuine victims. One Braverman initiative — to fly cross-Channel migrants to Rwanda for permanent resettlement — has already been blocked in the courts.
Britain’s National Crime Agency reported in November that Albanian crime groups in particular were manipulating the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), which is being reformed under the new act.
Established in 2009 to help protect human trafficking victims, the NRM is used to identify and refer them to UK government agencies to ensure they receive appropriate support.
If caught working in cannabis farms or other criminal enterprises, Albanian migrants have been coached to claim they are victims of modern-day slavery and apply to the NRM, the crime agency’s report said.
In December, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a new deal with Albania to stem the flow of migrants from the country crossing the Channel on small boats from mainland Europe.
The agreement only came about after the government in Tirana demanded an apology for an anti-migrant “campaign” in UK media, following some incendiary rhetoric from Braverman.
But the minister has maintained a hard line, to the delight of Conservative right-wingers keen to show that Britain can control its borders after Brexit, and the clampdown is one of five priorities promised by Sunak for this year.
“We must stop people exploiting our immigration and asylum laws,” Braverman said in Monday’s statement.
“And I am personally determined to crack down on those abusing the generosity of the British public and taking our country for a ride.”
UK vows to deport foreign criminals under slavery overhaul
https://arab.news/n7dcn
UK vows to deport foreign criminals under slavery overhaul
- The measures taking effect under a new Nationality and Borders Act mean that Home Office caseworkers can in future demand evidence of modern slavery, rather than taking a victim’s word
Danish Supreme Court case opens on arms sales to Israel
Denmark’s Supreme Court will begin hearing arguments Tuesday in a lawsuit filed by four humanitarian organizations that accuse the country of violating international law by exporting weapons to Israel.
In April 2025, a lower court rejected the lawsuit, filed against the Danish foreign ministry and national police by the Palestinian human rights association Al-Haq, ActionAid Denmark, and the Danish branches of Amnesty International and Oxfam.
The organizations allege Denmark is violating its international commitments by selling Israel parts for F-35 jet fighters, given what an Amnesty official called Israel’s “war crimes and genocide” in the Gaza Strip.
The Supreme Court will solely address the question of whether the organizations are entitled to test the legality of Denmark’s arms sales in the courts.
The Eastern High Court found, in an April 2025 ruling seen by AFP, that the plaintiffs “cannot be considered to be affected in such a direct, individual and concrete manner that they meet the general conditions of Danish law regarding their right to bring proceedings.”
If the four win their case before the Supreme Court, they intend to move forward and contest the legality of Denmark’s arms sales to Israel.
“Amnesty International’s documentation shows that Israel is committing war crimes and genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza,” Dina Hashem, an Amnesty official in Denmark, told AFP.
“Under the UN arms trade treaty and the UN common position on arms exports, states must deny an export license if there is a clear, overriding risk that this equipment could be used to commit serious violations of international humanitarian law,” she said.
“And that risk is clearly present in Gaza.”
‘In accordance’
In April, the Danish foreign ministry told AFP the Scandinavian country’s position on export control, including the F-35 program, was “in accordance with applicable EU and international law obligations.”
The Danish lawsuit was filed in March 2024 on the heels of a similar suit filed in the Netherlands by a coalition of humanitarian organizations.
A Dutch court in December 2024 rejected demands by pro-Palestinian groups for a total ban on exporting goods to Israel that can be used for military means.
The court ruled the government was respecting rules governing the country’s arms trade.
In Gaza, Israel and Hamas have repeatedly accused each other of violating a fragile ceasefire that came into force on October 10, 2025 after two years of war.
At least 618 Palestinians have been killed since then, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, a figure the UN has deemed reliable.
According to the Israeli army, five of its soldiers have been killed.
Given the restrictions imposed on media in Gaza, AFP is not able to independently verify the tolls provided by the two sides.
Denmark’s Supreme Court is due to announce its ruling in about a week.
