20/06/05

JRS-Europe, as an active lobbyist and campaigner on this subject,  welcomes and supports Amnesty International's report and campaigns on detention and expulsion of asylum seekers in the UK, Spain, and Italy.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL EU OFFICE PRESS RELEASE

THE HUMAN COST OF "FORTRESS EUROPE": ASYLUM SEEKERS UNFAIRLY DETAINED AND
UNFAIRLY EXPELLED IN UK, SPAIN, ITALY

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL OPEN LETTER TO THE UK PRESIDENCY OF THE EU

(Brussels 20 June 2005) European Union countries are increasingly violating
their international obligations on asylum according to three reports
released simultaneously today by Amnesty International to mark World
Refugee Day.

The reports, covering a range of issues relating to the detention and
expulsion of people seeking asylum in the UK, Spain and Italy, show up the
terrible human cost of "Fortress Europe".

Amnesty International has published an Open Letter to the incoming UK
Presidency of the EU with a series of recommendations on how the EU's
Common European Asylum System should be improved to ensure that the sort of
human rights violations outlined in these reports are not tolerated by any
EU country.

Amnesty International's reports show:

In the UK, Amnesty International estimates that tens of thousands of people
who have sought asylum have been detained solely under the country's
Immigration Act. Their detention is in many cases protracted,
inappropriate, disproportionate and unlawful. For many people who have
sought asylum in the UK, languishing in detention has led to mental
illness, self-harm and even to people attempting to take their own lives.
The report, based on visits to the majority of UK detention facilities,
details cases where people presented little risk of absconding but who
suffered prolonged misery as a result of their detention.

In Spain, Amnesty International says the Spanish government's moves to
control immigration and the entry of foreign nationals means the right to
seek asylum in Spain is in danger of extinction. People fleeing grave
human rights violations are being prevented from reaching Spain to seek
asylum and obtain protection. The report condemns the serious shortcomings
in the attention shown to foreign nationals, both in terms of rescue at
sea, and reception facilities on arrival. Amnesty International has also
documented the unlawful expulsion of foreign minors in contravention of
Spanish law.

In Italy, foreign nationals, including people seeking asylum, are
increasingly being placed in detention in violation of international human
rights standards. Amnesty International's report details allegations that
people in temporary holding centres in Italy have been subjected to
physical assault by law enforcement officers and supervisory staff, and to
excessive use of tranquillizing drugs. The centres are often overcrowded,
unhygienic and with poor medical care. Many of those detained experience
great difficulty gaining access to the asylum determination process and
challenging the legality of removal orders.

Amnesty International's Open Letter contains a series of recommendations
regarding the EU's forthcoming negotiations on common minimum standards
relating to the return of refugees. These standards are due to be adopted
during the UK's EU Presidency term.

Amnesty International's recommendations:
Detention of migrants and people seeking asylum should be treated as a
last resort. In each individual case, national authorities should
establish that detention is necessary, proportionate and lawful.
Detention of vulnerable persons should be avoided.
The decision to detain a person should be automatically and regularly
subject to judicial review. People deprived of their liberty should be
informed about their legal rights and receive the necessary health care.
No one should be removed from the EU unless specific safeguards are in
place to ensure they are not subjected to human rights abuses when sent
back to their country of origin. Removal and interception operations
should ensure that migrants are treated with respect and dignity and
that people seeking international protection have access to asylum
procedures.
EU Member States should establish independent monitoring mechanisms to
oversee detention and removal of asylum seekers. In addition, EU-wide
monitoring and accountability mechanisms should be made part of the
remit of the future EU Fundamental Rights Agency.

The following documents are available on http://www.amnesty-eu.org:
Amnesty International Open Letter to the UK Presidency: The human cost
of Fortress Europe
"UK: Seeking asylum is not a crime: Detention of people who have sought
asylum"
"Spain: the Southern Border: The State turns its back on the human
rights of refugees and migrants" (also available in Spanish)
"Italy: Temporary stay - permanent rights" (also available in Italian)
Amnesty International Media Briefing: Europe: Treatment of refugees and
asylum seekers

For further comment/background and interviews:
Amnesty International EU Office (Brussels)
Tel: 32-2-5021499
Fax: 32-2-5025686
Email: AmnestyIntl@aieu.be
Web-site: http://www.amnesty-eu.org