Human rights report criticizes UK detention of asylum seekers News
Human rights report criticizes UK detention of asylum seekers

[JURIST] Human rights watchdog group Amnesty International [advocacy website] released a new report Monday detailing and assailing the UK's detention of asylum seekers, which it said is "inappropriate, unnecessary, disproportionate and, therefore, unlawful" and has led to mental illness and even suicide attempts. The report concludes that in 2003 the UK detained 27,000 potential refugees in jail-like conditions. The report examines "the ability of detainees to challenge their detention. . . the difficulties that those who have sought asylum face in accessing justice while in detention have been compounded by the recent restrictions to publicly funded immigration and asylum work. . . and the human cost of the increased use of detention in the UK." Amnesty International also released related information on the detaintion of asylum seekers in Europe [press release] and, specifically, in Italy [press release]. AP has more.