Poland: Blocking Access to Asylum, Violating Human Rights on the Border

On 26 March, Poland’s President Duda signed into law a controversial bill allowing authorities to temporarily suspend access to asylum. The bill, which has been subject to extensive criticism, comes as rights groups have reported ongoing abuses of migrants and refugees at the country’s border with Belarus. […]

Read More…

A new report from Oxfam and Egala has called attention to the slate of abuses that migrants and refugees continue to face in border areas, (c) https://tinyurl.com/rvpvzhks

Panama: A “Bridge” Serving Trump’s Sweeping Deportation Plans

The US has deported hundreds of people to countries like Panama, Costa Rica, and El Salvador as part of the Trump administration’s plan to deport “millions.” On arrival in Panama, deportees have been detained in several ad hoc facilities where reports highlight a serious disregard for fundamental human rights.  […]

Read More…

Deportees call for assistance from inside the Decapolis Hotel, source: Getty/BBC

Submission: Türkiye’s Implementation of the ECtHR’s Judgements Concerning “Akkad vs Turkey”

Since the ECtHR’s 2022 judgement concerning the case of Akkad v. Turkey, there continue to be important gaps in Turkish law, as well as between legal frameworks and day-to-day practice. In this submission, the GDP, CESSMA, and Mülteci-Der call on the Committee of Ministers to ensure Turkiye’s effective implementation of the judgement’s general measures. […]

Read More…

“Out of Sight and Out of Mind”: Norway’s Failure to Reform its Treatment of Immigration Detainees

Norway’s immigration detention Supervisory Board has criticised practices at the country’s Trandum Immigration Detention Centre. In its Annual Report, the board says that although there have been important changes—including shifting medical care from the private to the public sector—numerous abusive immigration detention practices persist, including “prison-like” operations at Trandum, obliging detainees to meet officials from […]

Read More…

Trandum Detention Centre, Norway

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Treatment of Immigration Detainees Examined at the UPR 

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s treatment of migrants and asylum seekers was scrutinised during its review at the UN Universal Periodic Review in January. The GDP, Border Violence Monitoring Network, and Collective Aid submitted evidence to the UPR detailing concerns regarding Bosnia’s treatment of non-nationals. Key detention-related issues raised in the submission are reflected in member state recommendations, including […]

Read More…

The CMW Reaffirms Key Norms in its General Comment on the Global Compact for Migration

In January, the CMW released its much anticipated “General Comment No.6”. The GDP, which provided both written and oral interventions during the drafting stages, is pleased to observe that several key issues have been explicitly referenced in the final document. […]

Read More…

Deplorable Conditions in Italian Detention Centres Cast Further Doubts on Italy-Albania Migration Protocol

A recent report from the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) reveals the deplorable conditions in Italy’s pre-removal centres. The rights body highlights both the disrespect of detainees fundamental rights, as well as abysmal detention conditions, and raises concerns regarding Italy’s detention deal with Albania.   The CPT’s Report on its Visit to […]

Read More…

Gjader Reception Centre (source: https://tinyurl.com/4ydf6hme)

The Health Implications of Immigration Detention: A Global Problem 

Paper given by GDP Director Michael Flynn at the conference “Crimmigration through Time, Space, and Culture,” organised by the CINETS scholars network at Lewis & Clark Law School (Portland, Oregon, 1-2 March 2024) Introduction This paper provides a summary of key findings from an ongoing research project at the Global Detention Project aimed at broadening […]

Read More…

Egypt: Growing Calls to End Harmful Treatment of Refugees

Despite the spiralling war in nearby Sudan—where reports of massacres and widespread starvation have grabbed global attention—Egypt remains poised to adopt a new asylum law that will threaten access to protection for those fleeing the conflict. The law will also allow for arbitrary detention and refoulement based on migration status and without full consideration of […]

Read More…