NEW YORK - February 27 - The U.S. Coast Guard should not turn back all Haitians who flee the growing violence in Haiti and attempt to reach the United States, Human Rights Watch said today. The United States is obligated by the 1951 Refugee Convention and related international laws not to return refugees to a place where their lives or freedom are threatened.

Speaking on the deteriorating situation in Haiti, U.S. President George W. Bush on Wednesday stated, "We will turn back any refugee that attempts to reach our shore, and that message needs to be very clear as well to the Haitian people."

"Bush's policy should respect the commitments the U.S. has made toward people fleeing persecution," said Alison Parker, Senior Researcher in Human Rights Watch's U.S. Program. "The administration should not return refugees to a place where their lives are in danger."

With the situation in Haiti deteriorating, the U.S. Coast Guard has interdicted well over five hundred Haitians in the last few days. It is therefore crucial for the Bush administration to immediately set out a clear policy that complies with its legal obligations to protect refugees. It must establish procedures and allocate the necessary resources to ensure that no one is returned to Haiti who is in danger of being persecuted, tortured or killed. To do so requires giving each interdicted Haitian a meaningful opportunity to tell his or her story and carefully assessing the claims made.

It is unclear how the Bush administration will handle refugee protection. Following President Bush's statement, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said that boats of Haitians will be returned "absent any specific protection concerns." But when asked to explain, he declined to elaborate and stated the U.S. policy towards Haitians "remains the same." News reports cite the U.S. Defense Department as saying that all Haitians intercepted at sea will be returned.

"The United States should respond humanely to the plight of Haitian refugees," said Parker. "It shouldn't turn away Haitians who deserve asylum."

Human Rights Watch also urged neighboring governments to uphold their obligations to Haitian asylum seekers seeking refuge in their territories.

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