Investigation into detention of asylum seekers

The Northern Ireland Human Rights commission is to carry out an investigation into what it described as the "imprisonment" of asylum seekers, during a visit to immigration detention centres.

The Commission says it is concerned with the conditions in which detainees are being held and how issues such as right to legal advice, health care and diet are resolved.

They will also investigate the reasons as to how and why detainees are held in prison when they have not been convicted of a crime.

Members of the Commission have today visited detention centres on both the Crumlin Road and Hydebank Wood.

These visits were hoped to provide the Commission with an insight into what needs to be done to improve the system in Northern Ireland.

Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, Professor Monica McWilliams commented on how this was the only place in the UK where immigration detainees are held in prison as a matter of course.

She said: "The decisions taken by immigration officers to detain asylum seekers appear to be arbitrary, inconsistent, and, on a number of occasions, seem to have breached international and domestic human rights norms. This is an extremely important issue, which we plan to investigate. We hope that our research will contribute to an informed debate in Northern Ireland on how to improve conditions for asylum seekers and migrants in Northern Ireland.”

Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Human Rights and Equality, Catriona Ruane has welcomed the launch. She said: "Sinn Féin have long-standing concerns about the detention of Asylum Seekers in prisons here and the conditions in which they are housed.

"Central to the Peace Process and the Good Friday Agreement is the vindication and protection of the Human Rights of all. This must include the Human Rights of Asylum Seekers. "

Ms Ruane added that despite a political mandate to end this unnecessary detention, and their right to full access to free legal advice, welfare, and community services, the NIO have done nothing to "end this disgrace.

"Before Christmas Sinn Féin met with Shaun Woodward to again voice our serious concerns about a number of issues surrounding our prisons, particularly in relation to the conditions faced by women in Hydebank and the imprisonment of asylum seekers."

She concluded by saying that some kind of human rights ethos must be implemented.

(EF/SP)