Rwanda flights: Britain reminded of obligation to obey ECHR orders

Ignoring urgent orders to halt flights would break international law, says head of European human rights court

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The UK would break international law if it ignored emergency orders from the European court of human rights (ECHR) to stop asylum seekers being flown to Rwanda, the head of the court has said.

Síofra O’Leary, the ECHR president, told a press conference that there was a “clear obligation” for member states to take account of rule 39 orders, interim injunctions issued by the Strasbourg-based court.