Wracked by sectarian conflict and with a growing expat population that now outnumbers citizens, Bahrain has struggled to develop humane policies for its foreign workers. Although the country has adopted labour reforms and set up new rights-related institutions, observers say there is a significant gap between stated intentions and reality on the ground. […]
Publications & Events
Immigration Detention in Oman
An important destination for migrant workers and refugees from Asia and Africa, Oman also has one of the strictest immigration enforcement regimes in the Gulf. It has sought to increase the percentage of citizens in its labour force (“Omanisation”) and implemented mass detention and deportation campaigns, leading to the forced removal of both refugees and […]
Immigration Detention in Qatar
Qatar has been under intense scrutiny since it was selected to host the 2022 World Cup games. The international spotlight has brought widespread attention to the abuses that foreign workers face in the country. Despite official promises of reform observers argue that little has changed for most of the country’s 1.5 million migrant labourers, an […]
Immigration Detention in Saudi Arabia
What we know about immigration detention in Saudi Arabia comes from scattered press accounts and reports by human rights organizations that rely on information provided by former detainees after they have been deported. While our knowledge of the Saudi detention regime remains very incomplete, these reports make clear that detention has become an important tool in the government’s […]
Immigration Detention in United Arab Emirates
Despite its efforts to cultivate a reputation as a bastion of culture and tourism in the Gulf, the United Arab Emirates imposes harsh conditions on foreign workers, systematically represses those who speak out about abuses, and prevents investigations of its detention and incarceration of non-citizens. What little information is available about detention must be gleaned through […]
Immigration Detention in Indonesia
Described by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) as “a key transit country for irregular migrant movements,” Indonesia has dozens of immigration detention facilities, many of which have been denounced for their terrible conditions. The growth of Indonesia’s detention capacities has been largely driven by the policies and practices of Australia, with assistance provided by […]
Immigration Detention in Belize
Belize’s immigration detention practices contrast with the policies of neighbouring countries in key ways. In particular, the country provides criminal sanctions for immigration-related infractions and appears to be the only nation in Central America that does not have a dedicated administrative immigration detention facility. […]
THE UNCOUNTED: The Detention of Migrants and Asylum Seekers in Europe
Based on a two-year investigation seeking basic details and statistics about immigration detention practices in 33 countries across Europe and North America, this joint report by the GDP and Access Info Europe reveals that in many countries it is impossible to obtain an accurate picture of the number of migrants and asylum seekers being held […]
Immigration Detention in the Gulf
Labour migrants are a backbone of the economies of all the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council–Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. While much has been reported on the abuses these workers often suffer, very little is known about what happens to them when they are arrested and detained. […]
Detaining Outsiders: Migrants, Borders, and Security
Research undertaken by the Global Detention Project indicates that an often over-looked variable shaping detention policies and practices is the response by states to pressure stemming from key international norms relevant to the rights of non-citizens, including the right to liberty and security of the person. Available here. […]
