Letters to the governments of Costa Rica and Panama urge countries to address injustices relating to U.S. return scheme

International human rights organizations urge the governments of Costa Rica and Panama to address human rights abuses resulting from their agreement to receive families and adults unlawfully prevented from seeking asylum in the United States and to prevent any repetition of similar arrangements. 

Signatories include Amnesty International, Human Rights First, Human Rights Watch, Refugees International, and the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), along with American Friends Service Committee which works in Costa Rica. Researchers from Human Rights Watch and Refugees International recently visited these countries, and along with Human Rights First, have interviewed people subjected to these denials of access to asylum. Download the letters in English and Spanish below.

Organizaciones internacionales de derechos humanos han pedido hoy a los gobiernos de Costa Rica y Panamá que resuelvan las violaciones de derechos humanos derivadas de su acuerdo para recibir a familias y adultos a los que se impide ilegalmente solicitar asilo en Estados Unidos y que impidan que se repitan acuerdos similares.

Entre los firmantes se incluyen Amnesty Internacional, Human Rights Watch, Refugees International, y la Oficina en Washington para Asuntos Latinoamericanos (WOLA), junto con el American Friends Service Committee, que trabaja en Costa Rica. Investigadores de Human Rights Watch y Refugees International visitaron recientemente estos países y, junto con Human Rights First, han entrevistado a personas sometidas a estas denegaciones de acceso al asilo.