Comment: The Geneva Convention for beginners and world leaders Published on: 31 January 2017 Writing for The Conversation, Professor Rhona Smith explains the guiding principles of the Geneva Convention. , Donald Trump is said to have received a from German Chancellor Angela Merkel following the announcement of his suspending the for 120 days. During their discussion it seems Merkel had to explain the Geneva Convention to her newly elected US counterpart. Trump鈥檚 decision to suspend the programme, as well as banning entry to aliens from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen for 90 days, is indeed highly questionable in terms of international law. So here鈥檚 a brief guide for anyone who finds themselves suddenly and unexpectedly in charge of one of the largest immigration systems in the world. The international legal position on this matter is clear. The US must permit entry and afford refuge to anyone it has recognised as a refugee or to whom it has granted asylum. Moreover, it cannot return any person to a country where she or he may suffer torture or other persecution. No ifs, no buts, no qualifications on national security. Merkel will have reminded Trump that the United States is to the . This prescribed the continuing application of the 1951 Convention relating to the status of refugees which was adopted to address the aftermath of World War II. That original convention was agreed in Geneva so it is sometimes referred to as the Geneva Convention. As the US voluntarily accepted the 1967 protocol to the refugee convention, it is legally obliged to implement it. Despite Trump鈥檚 about these 鈥渞ules鈥�, all other states party to the protocol and convention can legitimately expect the US to comply 鈥� hence the expressions of dismay from other heads of state as Trump announced his executive order.
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