HRW response to Ecuador’s statement regrding refugee rights

hrw.org reported:

Dear Mr. Patiño,

We are writing in response to the public statement issued by the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Ecuador on June 20, 2013,[1]regarding a letter we had sent that day to President Rafael Correa on refugee rights.[2]

As you know, Human Rights Watch’s letter urged President Correa to revoke problematic provisions included in Presidential Decree 1182, which regulates asylum procedures in Ecuador. Ecuadorian human rights organizations have also expressed concerns about the decree [3]and the UNHCR has stated that “access to asylum has become difficult” since its adoption.[4]

In your response to Human Rights Watch’s arguments, you claimed our letter “does not correspond to reality,” but the issues you raise do not support that assertion. As explained below, the statement —which includes six short bullet points—fails to address our substantive concerns; argues or suggests Human Rights Watch made inaccurate claims that were never made; and includes broad statements of principles and information that does not explain how existing norms comply with Ecuador’s international obligations on refugee rights. Read Response