René Cassin submitted evidence to the Standing Group on Atrocity Crimes, calling for refugee protection to be recognised as a core tool of atrocity prevention. Drawing on the lessons of the Holocaust and the Kindertransport, our submission argues that justice cannot be limited to prosecuting perpetrators. States have a legal and moral duty under the 1951 Refugee Convention to provide safe and controlled routes for those fleeing persecution and mass violence. Without these routes, victims remain trapped in danger and international obligations to prevent atrocities are undermined.
Our recommendations urge the UK to embed refugee protection into its atrocity-prevention strategy. We propose expanding and diversifying safe routes and creating humanitarian corridors for those at acute risk. We also call for a statutory resettlement commitment, proper funding for local authorities, and multilateral cooperation aligned with the Global Compact on Refugees. These proposals echo the priorities of leading UK asylum organisations and aim to ensure the UK’s response is proactive, humane, and grounded in international law.
The Standing Group on Atrocity Crimes brings together leading international lawyers, cross‑party parliamentarians, policy advisers, and civil society figures. It was launched in the UK Parliament in July 2025 by the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute, the Accountability Unit, and the Coalition for Genocide Response to fill critical gaps in UK atrocity policy response.
Read our submission below:
