non-refoulement
noun
non-re·foule·ment
ˌnän-rə-ˌfül-ˈmän 
: a principle of international law providing a refugee or asylum seeker with the right to freedom from expulsion from a territory in which they seek refuge or from forcible return to a country or territory where the refugee or asylum seeker faces threats to life or freedom because of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion
Examples of non-refoulement in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
What is more, under international law and the Refugee Convention, the U.S. is obligated not to deport individuals to unsafe countries—a principle known as non-refoulement.
—
Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
People fleeing a Chinese territory for Taiwan could find themselves in a vulnerable position if Beijing decided to test the limits of Taiwanese human rights protections, which include provisions for non-refoulement that protect refugees from forced return.
—Betsy Joles, Foreign Affairs, 30 July 2020
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
People fleeing a Chinese territory for Taiwan could find themselves in a vulnerable position if Beijing decided to test the limits of Taiwanese human rights protections, which include provisions for non-refoulement that protect refugees from forced return.
—Betsy Joles, Foreign Affairs, 30 July 2020
Cite this Entry
“Non-refoulement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/non-refoulement. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share