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Non-refoulement (/rəˈfuːlmɒ̃/) is a fundamental principle of international law anchored in the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees that forbids a country from deporting ("refoulement") any person to any country in which their "life or freedom would be threatened" on account of "race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion".[1][2] The only exception to non-refoulement according to Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees are "reasonable grounds" of "danger to the security of the country" or "danger to the community of that country".[1] Unlike political asylum, which applies only to those who can prove a well-grounded fear of political persecution,[3] non-refoulement refers to the generic deportation of people, including refugees into war zones and other disaster locales.[2]
Non-refoulement is generally seen as customary international law,[4] where it applies even to states that are not parties to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees or its 1967 Protocol.[5] It is debatable whether non-refoulement is a Peremptory norm (jus cogens) of international law, where non-refoulement must always be applied without any adjustment for any purpose or under any circumstances (derogation).[6][7] The debate over jus cogens nature of non-refoulement was rekindled following the September 11, 2001 terror attacks in the United States as well as other terrorist attacks in Europe.[8]
convention
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).:2
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).