Brunei Darussalam

Detains migrants or asylum seekers?

Yes

Has laws regulating migration-related detention?

Yes

International Migrants

112,000

2020

Population

500,000

2023

International Migrants as % of Population

22.4%

2020

Overview

Types of facilities used for migration-related detention
Administrative Ad Hoc Criminal Unknown

02 September 2020 – Brunei Darussalam

There is little available information about the treatment of migrants or asylum seekers in Brunei. The government reports that the country has no asylum seekers or refugees, although in the past the country has reported that it has more than 20,000 stateless residents. On 17 March, the Health Ministry stated that “any individual arriving in […]

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DETENTION STATISTICS

Total Migration Detainees: Flow + Stock (year)
Not Available
2019

DETAINEE DATA

Total Number of Children Placed in Immigration Detention (Year)
0
2017

DETENTION CAPACITY

ALTERNATIVES TO DETENTION

ADDITIONAL ENFORCEMENT DATA

PRISON DATA

Criminal Prison Population (Year)
565
2015
549
2013
427
2011
453
2008
492
2005
454
2002
286
1999
307
1996
186
1993
Percentage of Foreign Prisoners (Year)
29.6
2015
29.5
2013
Prison Population Rate (per 100,000 of National Population)
134
2015
131
2013
105
2011
118
2008
136
2005
133
2002
89
1999
103
1996
68
1993

POPULATION DATA

Population (Year)
500,000
2023
400,000
2020
423,000
2015
International Migrants (Year)
112,000
2020
110,641
2019
102,700
2015
International Migrants as Percentage of Population (Year)
22.4
2020
24.3
2015
Refugees (Year)
0
2022
0
2016
Asylum Applications (Year)
0
2022
Stateless Persons (Year)
20,863
2022
20,863
2018
20,524
2016
20,524
2015

SOCIO-ECONOMIC DATA & POLLS

Gross Domestic Product per Capita (in USD)
40,979
2014
Unemployment Rate
2014
Human Development Index Ranking (UNDP)
31 (Very high)
2015

MIGRATION-RELATED DETENTION

Does the Country Detain People for Migration, Asylum, or Citizenship Reasons?
Yes
2023
Unknown
2022
Does the Country Have Specific Laws that Provide for Migration-Related Detention?
Yes
2023
Yes
1956

GOVERNANCE SYSTEM

Legal Tradition(s)
Common law
2017
Customary law
2017
Muslim law
2017
Federal or Centralised Governing System
Centralized system
2023
Centralised or Decentralised Immigration Authority
Centralized immigration authority
2023

LEGAL & REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

Detention-Related Legislation
Immigration Act (1956)
1956

GROUNDS FOR MIGRATION-RELATED DETENTION

Immigration-Status-Related Grounds
Detention to effect removal
2023
Criminal Penalties for Immigration-Related Violations
Yes
2023

LENGTH OF MIGRATION-RELATED DETENTION

MIGRATION-RELATED DETENTION INSTITUTIONS

Custodial Authorities
Immigration and National Registration Department (INRD) (Ministry of Home Affairs) Interior or Home Affairs
2023
Apprehending Authorities
Immigration and National Registration Department (INRD) (Immigration agency)
2023

PROCEDURAL STANDARDS & SAFEGUARDS

DETENTION MONITORS

> National human rights monitoring bodies

> National Preventive Mechanisms (Optional Protocol to UN Convetion against Torture)

> Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)

> Governmental monitoring bodies

> International detention monitoring

TRANSPARENCY

READMISSION/RETURN/EXTRADITION AGREEMENTS

COVID-19

HEALTH CARE

COVID-19 DATA

INTERNATIONAL TREATIES

International Treaties Ratified
Ratification Year
Observation Date
VCCR, Vienna Convention on Consular Relations
2013
2017
CEDAW, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
2006
2017
CRC, Convention on the Rights of the Child
1995
2017
CRPD, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
2016
2016
Ratio of relevant international treaties ratified
Ratio: 4/19
Treaty Reservations
Reservation Year
Observation Date
CRC Article 14 2015
2015
2017
Ratio of Complaints Procedures Accepted
Observation Date
0/2
2017

NON-TREATY-BASED INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS MECHANISMS

Relevant Recommendations from the UN Universal Periodic Review
Observation Date
Yes 2010
2017
No 2014
2017
Yes 2019

REGIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS MECHANISMS

DETENTION COSTS

OUTSOURCING

FOREIGN SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR DETENTION OPERATIONS