UN refugee agency tells Cyprus to stick to the law in its efforts at sea to thwart refugee boats

By MENELAOS HADJICOSTIS and ABBY SEWELL
Associated Press

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — The United Nations agency for refugees says Cypriot efforts at sea to stop numerous Syrian refugee-laden boats departing Lebanon from reaching the European Union-member island nation mustn’t contravene international human rights laws. Cypriot authorities have reportedly dispatched police patrol vessels to thwart boat loads of Syrian refugees from reaching the island about 110 miles away. A UNCHR spokesperson said Friday relatives of passengers claimed Cypriot authorities “forcibly pushed back” several boats using violence, but that the U.N. agency was “not in a position to confirm” that. A Cypriot senior official denied any coercion was used to get the boats to return to Lebanon insisting that Cyprus doesn’t engage in any pushbacks.