The president of Europe's human rights court (ECHR) has said that there is a legal obligation on states to “follow its injunctions” in response to Britain's threat to ignore its orders and continue with the inhuman plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.

ECHR President Siofra O’Leary said on Thursday that countries had a “clear legal obligation” to obey “Rule 39” measures, which are issued by the court in cases where it feels a need to intervene to prevent real and “irreparable damage” to an individual.

In a clear violation of international human rights laws, asylum seekers who reach England's southern coast in small boats under the UK scheme would be sent to the East African nation.

If the UK refused to obey the court’s interim orders, it would be in contravention of the right of individuals to claim violations of their human rights as well as its obligation to obey the jurisdiction of the court, O’Leary said.

In June 2022, the ECHR issued a last-minute injunction - known as interim measures under Rule 39 - to prevent the first deportations of UK asylum seekers to the East African nation.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that the foreign courts will not be allowed to intervene in the country's controversial effort to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.

"I've been crystal clear, repeatedly, that I won't let a foreign court stop us from getting flights off, and getting this deterrent up and running," the British PM said last week.

The Rwanda bill of the UK aims to stop legal challenges against plans to send asylum seekers to the African country. Sunak's “Safety of Rwanda Bill” would allow Britain to ignore any ECHR orders, a power the prime minister has said he was prepared to use.