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EU Condemns Nepal Deportations
June 13,2003
ATHENS, Greece (AP) _ The European Union on Friday
condemned a decision by Nepal to expel 18 Tibetans to
China after they were charged with illegally entering
the country.
The Tibetans, who included women and children as young
as 13, were deported May 31.
``Such a deportation order against a group of asylum
seekers that also included eight minors ... clearly
violates humanitarian principles and contravenes
international law,'' said a statement issued by the
Greek government which holds the EU's rotating
presidency.
``The EU expresses its regrets over the fact that
repeated appeals by EU missions ... to release the
asylum seekers were ignored.''
The Chinese government has said it will punish the
Tibetens, according to the Global Times, a Communist
Party newspaper. Nepal normally holds Tibet
an immigrants until their cases are reviewed by the
United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR.
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