A fundamentally different approach to detention needed!
by Catherine MALLET
Last week The Salvation Army EU Affairs Office endorsed a joint statement expressing concern that a fundamentally different approach is needed in the administrative detention of migrants. The statement stresses that the current draft process to develop European Rules on the Conditions for the Administrative Detention of Migrants must reflect the minimum human rights standards to which migrants are entitled.
Over 30 national, regional and international civil society organisations drafted the statement which was presented to the European Committee on Legal Co-operation which is carrying out a codifying exercise on a detailed set of immigration detention rules.
The statement refers specifically to existing criminal detention standards in the draft codifying instrument which are responsible for many of the substantive shortcomings such as:
• the detention of children, pregnant women, the elderly, persons with disabilities, victims of trafficking, and other migrants in situations of particular vulnerability;
• understanding of immigration detention as a prison-like environment with limitations on visitation rights or confiscation of personal belongings;
• concept of order and security with the use of force and physical restraints and solitary confinement, including as a sanction.
The document makes 5 recommendations to the European Committee on Legal Co-Operation of the Council of Europe.
Read the full statement HERE
Tags: Europe