Spain empties its immigration detention centres Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Spain has released the majority of migrants in detention centres, and closed all its detention facilities but one. PICUM member CEPAIM has been one of the organisations providing accommodation to released individuals. Read our blog post to learn more. Bosnian Minister proposes to detain and deport migrants amid COVID-19 crisis
The security minister of Bosnia-Herzegovina suggested that migrants should be detained and deported from the country, rather than accommodated in camps. The minister proposed to allow for detention up to five years to establish their identity. European Advocate General declares detention in Hungarian transit zone unlawfulThe Court of Justice of the European Union Advocate General Pikimae declared in its opinion that the detention of the applicants in the Röszke transit zone is contrary to art. 2 of the Asylum Procedures Directive. The opinion marks a departure from the recent ruling of the European Court of Human Rights Ilias and Ahmed, where it was held that the accommodation of applicants of international protection in the Röszke transit zone did not amount to a deprivation of liberty. UN Migration Network calls for a stop to immigration detentionThe UN Migration Network Working Group on Alternatives to Immigration Detention has published a policy brief on COVID-19 and immigration detention, which includes guidance for governments on how to deal with immigration detention during the pandemic. The recommendations include stopping any new detention and releasing people currently held in immigration detention. New global mapping of immigration detentionThe Global Detention Project has launched a new global tracking platform to monitor the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on immigration detainees, including government responses to the pandemic in their treatment of refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants behind bars. The platform can be visited here. Advocates take legal ac tion against immigration detention conditions in CyprusPICUM member KISA announced legal action against the Cyprus government over poor immigration detention conditions, including by taking a case to the European Court of Human Rights. KISA denounces the fact that no measures have been taken for the protection of people in detention and none of them have been tested for COVID-19, despite reports of detainees presenting symptoms. |