Non-refoulement

Non-refoulement is a core principle of refugee and human rights law. It bars removal, extradition, expulsion or rejection at the border when there is a real risk of persecution, torture, inhuman or degrading treatment, or certain other grave harms. The protection depends on the applicable legal source; some forms, especially those linked to torture and ill-treatment, are absolute. In Switzerland, authorities must assess foreseeable risks individually before enforcing removal and provide effective remedies where required. Diplomatic assurances may be scrutinised closely and cannot replace a genuine risk assessment.