Protection of Refugees in International Law Between Legal Obligations and State Policies

The phenomenon of asylum has witnessed a continuous increase at the present time in a world in which people are displaced in different contexts due to internal and international armed conflicts, as well as serious violations of human rights, whether directed at groups on an ethnic, religious, or political basis, or directed at opponents of an unjust governing system or political orientation.This has driven many individuals to flee to other countries in search of protection and to avoid persecution.The right to asylum in international law is not limited to merely allowing entry into the territory of another state; rather, it goes beyond that to include an integrated system of legal guarantees, foremost among them the principle of non-refoulement, which is considered the cornerstone of refugee protection.It reflects a fundamental international obligation not to expose individuals to the risk of persecution and affirms that humanitarian considerations prevail over political or security considerations of states.Moreover, the enshrinement of this principle in numerous international instruments reflects its customary nature and grants it an advanced status within the international legal system.