Chile: Human Rights Monitoring Bodies Denounce Proposed Legal Reforms Increasing Detention Measures for Undocumented Migrants and Asylum Seekers

In a communication to Chile, a group of UN experts have condemned proposed reforms to the country’s migration and asylum legislation. If approved, the reforms would provide criminal penalties for irregular entry and stay, including prison sentences and fines, and increase administrative detention measures for people awaiting deportation. The effort also reflects policy proposals in […]

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2022 Annual Report: Building Partnerships, Harnessing Data, Ending Arbitrary Immigration Detention

Policy-makers, scholars, and advocates often obsess over detention numbers: How many people were detained last year? How many more people are being detained now? How many are detained in a given detention centre? But there is another statistic that receives much less attention: how many people die in immigration detention? […]

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Russia: Immigration Detainees Amongst Foreign Migrants Targeted for Military Recruitment

In an effort to reach recruitment targets for its war in Ukraine, Russia has been attempting to coerce or force foreign migrants to fight. Authorities and private military companies have attempted to enlist foreigners in migration offices, workplaces, prisons, worker dormitories, and mosques. According to several reports, immigration detainees have also been targeted for enlistment.  […]

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Lebanon Steps Up Forceful Removals of Syrian Refugees

Amidst festering economic crisis and political stalemate, Lebanese authorities have stepped up their efforts to remove Syrian refugees from the country. In recent weeks, hundreds have been arrested, detained, and summarily deported by Lebanon’s army intelligence unit. Since early April, the Lebanese army has conducted multiple raids across the country, arresting hundreds of Syrians who […]

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A Missed Opportunity in Japan

On 7 March, Japan’s cabinet passed a bill amending the country’s immigration and asylum legislation. The bill, which has been slated by rights groups, reinforces the country’s ability to indefinitely detain migrants and asylum seekers. It is now due to be voted on by the country’s parliament. With regards to detention, the amendment bill to […]

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GDP Hosts Fourth Interactive Webinar: Protecting Victims of Trafficking from Immigration Detention

On Tuesday 25 April, the GDP held its fourth interactive webinar. We heard from four global experts on human trafficking about how the principle of non-punishment can be used to protect victims of trafficking who are detained for migration-related reasons. […]

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Documenting Detention: Part 1 – Photographing the US Detention System. A Conversation with Greg Constantine

As part of the GDP’s “Documenting Detention” series, we speak to the acclaimed independent documentary photographer, Greg Constantine, about his work photographing the United States’ vast detention estate. […]

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Türkiye: Joint Submission to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child

In a submission to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, the GDP and the International Refugee Rights Association assess Türkiye’s laws and practices concerning detention of children for immigration-related reasons. […]

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Switzerland: Detainee’s Death Reignites Calls to End Immigration Detention

In the morning of Saturday 8 April, a male immigration detainee was found unconscious in his cell in Geneva’s Favra detention facility. His death has prompted renewed calls for authorities to close the controversial centre.  According to a press release from the Department of Security, Population and Health (DSPS), the man (reportedly a Tunisian awaiting […]

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Immigration detention in United Kingdom(from the report of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture 2023 visit to United Kingdom)

A. Background information; (Read full CPT report) 8. The CPT visit to the UK in March and April 2023 took place at a time when the Government was announcing its increased determination to detain and remove all foreign nationals2 who did not have a right to reside in the UK. Particular emphasis was being made […]

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