New University of Michigan Guidelines on Exclusion of International Criminals

Date: 
Monday, October 21, 2013

The new Michigan Guidelines on the Exclusion of International Criminals, resulting from a colloquium held in March 2013 at the University of Michigan, attempt to define the circumstances in which an international criminal can be excluded from protection by the Refugee Convention. Article 1(F)(a) of the Refugee Convention excludes from refugee status ‘... any person with respect to whom there are serious reasons for considering that... he has committed a crime against peace, a war crime, or a crime against humanity, as defined in the international instruments drawn up to make provision in respect of such crimes.’ To deny refugee status to a person who has a well-founded fear of persecution in their country of origin is a decision with potentially life-threatening consequences. The Guidelines therefore urge immigration authorities to exercise caution when considering the exclusion clause.

Read the Michigan Guidelines on the Exclusion of International Criminals.


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Keywords: 
Exclusion from protection