Date: Thu, 14 Mar 1996 19:09:36 +0100 To: klasseka@oslonett.no, kletzand@ping.at, kscentrum@ecn.gn.apc.org, leandro@citel.upc.es, Lolapress@ipn-b.comlink.de, lreiner@amnesty.gn.apc.org, MALASKA@UTU.FI, margot@dds.nl, maria@aurora.eexi.gr, martin@blackbox.ping.at, mbel@cpik.kiev.ua, memorial@glas.apc.org, michele.galizia@gs-edi.admin.ch, migrant1@pi.net, mikee@blackbox.ping.at, Mike.Heiser@newham.gov.uk, miroslav.hristodulo@zamir-bg.ztn.apc.org, mts@ul.ici.ro, mizamir@antenna.nl, mnovickttt@igc.apc.org, mwill@nn.apc.org, nbk@dds.nl, nbusch@nn.apc.org, nelvdijk@xs4all.nl, news.united@zpok.hu, nfecunda@beuk.antenna.nl, nfjd@gaia.cl.sub.de, nn@nnmag.aps.nl, nscentre@gn.apc.org, odihrosc@sam.nask.com.pl, oebjr@blackbox.ping.at, oegj@blackbox.ping.at, pbme@antenna.nl, PDS-PV@ipn-b.comlink.de, Posch@EDVZ.UNI-Klagenfurt.ADA.AT, pressnow@pressnow.xs4all.nl, pring@ibm.net, prokes.miroslav@ecn.gn.apc.org, qcea@gn.apc.org, RADIO@3LANDBOX.BAWUE.cl.sub.de, raija.hanski@abo.fi, ranjak@interport.net, reflex@b612.anet.fr, refugium@refugium.antenna.nl, revs@csf.colorado.edu, RI-SUN_RI@ZAMIR-ZG.ZTN.APC.ORG, rok@P7.F66.N420.Z2.fidonet.org, romani@criss.sfos.ro, root@youth.nsu.nsk.su, roykr@oslonett.no From: united@antenna.nl (UNITED) Subject: research on detention UNITEDs Refugee Campaign R E S E A R C H O N D E T E N T I O N Dear friends, With this letter we would like to inform you on the latest developments within the Refugee Campaign, launched by UNITED in February 1995. Besides different other aspects of this Campaign (e.g. Commemoration of "Kristallnacht", Case of the refugees trapped in the Spanish enclave city Ceuta, Documentation of the dead refugees trying to enter Fortress Europe etc.), we have recently decided to raise the question of the detention centres in Europe. The existence of Fortress Europe produces not only endless number of deaths and tragic consequences in the lives of those ones desperately seeking safety, but also a restrictive system to protect "democracy" and "stability" in the countries of immigration. Detention centres are, of course, a very crucial point of this policy. Although "refugee or asylum seeker should not be detained" (UNHCR guidelines on detention of asylum seekers), unless "restrictions to the movements of refugees coming directly from a country of persecution are to be applied until their status is regularised or they obtain admission into another country" (Article 31 of the 1951 Convention), only superficial insight in the situation shows many irregularities. =46or instance, general rules like: detention should under no circumstances be used as a punitive or disciplinary measure; minors should not be detained at all; asylum seekers should be entitled to the minimum procedural guarantees (such as right to be informed, right to contact UNHCR Office etc.) exist mostly only on paper. Many detention centres are overcrowded, have no decent accommodation and professional staff etc. The very beginning of our research on detention made us believe that this issue needs a wider public's awareness. That is why we address ourselves to you in hope that you can help us in researching on the situation in the detention centres in your country. We enclosed hereby a list with information on some of the centres as a possible orientation in your work and the research questionnaire. Please keep us informed! You will receive completed list afterwards. Thanking you for your collaboration, I send my best wishes Saskia Daru - UNITED ****************************************************************************= **** European Research on Detention * PLEASE FILL IN ALL INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE, (REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY QUESTIONS YOU CAN ANSWER) * SEND US PRESS CUTTINGS/MATERIALS YOU HAVE ON THIS SUBJECT. THANK YOU! * DISTRIBUTE THE QUESRTIONNAIRE TO OTHER GROUPS (Send all completed forms to UNITED, PB 413, NL-1000 AK Amsterdam, or by e-mail to united@antenna.nl) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------= ---- Name/place/country of detention centre : (by detention we understand any kind of "forced" detention in 'immigration'prisons, airports, harbours, deportation centres etc.) Capacity : (max./average number of detainees) Who is detained ? (illegals, transit, deportees=8A) Length of stay : (max./average) Where should protest be addressed to: Solidarity group who supports detainees of this centre: (address/tel./fax) Comments on general situation in detention centre : (this particular one and also additional information on the situation in your country) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------= ---- PLEASE FILL IN ALL INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE, (REGARDLESS HOW MANY QUESTIONS YOU CAN ANSWER) AND SEND US PRESS CUTTINGS/MATERIALS YOU HAVE ON THIS SUBJECT. THANK YOU! ****************************************************************************= **** Below you find the information that we already have compiled. ****************************************************************************= **** COUNTRY; NAME / PLACE of detention centre; CAPACITY (max.) of the centre; WHO IS DETAINED? (illegals; transit; deportees...); LENGTH OF STAY (Average / Maximum); WHERE SHOULD PROTEST BE ADRESSED TO; SOLIDARITY GROUP SUPPORTING DETAINEES (name + tel nr.); COMMENTS ON GENERAL SITUATION IN DETENTION CENTRE ****************************************************************************= **** A; VIENNA - Airport Sondertransit;18; illegals, transit, deportees; Caritas:Container, no special police controle A; VIENNA - police prison; 300; illegals, transit, deportees; Asylkoordination Oesterreich (43-1-5321291) A; There are another 14 police prisons and 4 jails in Austria where detainees are kept B; Steenokkerzeel - Transitcentrum; 127BIS; Illegals, Rejected asylum-seekers, deportees; Aktiegroep Recht op vluchten (32-16-293079); people caught in razor-wire and thrown in isolation CH; Zuerich - Kloten; 300; Arrested by new law (difficult deportees); 12 months; 22 Cantonal depart. of justice & police; SFH Projektstelle Zwr (41-31-3707500) D; BUETZOW - Justizvollzugsanstalt; 50; Illegals, deportees; 50 days - 15 months; Inne- & Justizministerium des Landes; Diakonisches Werk (49-381-723208) D; BERLIN - K=F6penick Kruppstr. 15; 150; non-identified, deportees; Diakonisches Werk Treptow (49-30-2329977) D; BERLIN - Gothaerstr. D; BERLIN - Hans Beimlerstr. D ; Cortemark; biggest and most notorious asylum centre in Europe D; LEIPZIG; 30-40; Illegals, deportees; till 18 months; S=E4chsches Staatsministerium des Innern; Fluechtlingsrat Leipzig e.V. (49-341-4797522); prison (for prisoners avaiting trial) D; REGENSBURG D; KASSEL; till 18 months D; WUPPERTRAL D; GLASMOOR - Nord-Klein Westfalen D; HERNE - Ruhrgebied D; HAMBURG; Illegals D; HANNOVER; till 18 months D; KOELN; till 18 months D; OFFENBACH; till 18 months D; FRANKFURT - Gelnhausen; 350 (till 1000); Deportees; till 18 months D; BERLIN - Osterweg 71; Women; till 18 months D; DUESSELDORF - Airport; central detention place for Nordrhein-Westfalen D; DUESSELDORF - Gerresheim; 80; Illegals, Rejected asylum-seekers, Offenders...; 4 - 206 days D; NEUSS; 80; Illegals, Rejected asylum-seekers, Women; 4 weeks / 117 days D; MOERS; 144 (till 350); Rejected asylum-seekers D; GUETERSLOH; 88 (till 110); Offenders, deportees; 25 days D; BUEREN; 600; Illegals, Rejected asylum-seekers, Offenders...; up to a year; Wohlfahrtsverb=E4nde (Soc. benefit org.); Hilfe fuer Abschiebehaft Bueren (49-5251-730337); 6m wall, prevention on suicide - calming cells E; CEUTA (Moroccan enclave); 300; Deportees, war refugees, illegals; Interior ministry of Spain; SOS Racismo (34/43/423138), APDHA (34/5/4212122); UNITED has a separate dossier on this case E; MADRID - La Estrella; Illegals, deportees; 40 days; Government representative Pilar Lled-; APDHE (34-1-4023204); no beds, cellar... =46; PARIS (Orly Airport - Hotel Arcade); international zone =46; PARIS - Les Halles (police station); Metropolitan Paris Police Department; Eu. Com. for the Prevention of Torture... (CPT); bed hygienic and sanitair sit., police brutalities GB; Hull; AVID (Ass. of Visitors to Imigr. Detainees) GB; BIRMINGHAM - Winson Green GB; LEEDS GB; LONDON - Harmondsworth; 90; Deportees, asylum-seekers, transit...; over a year (aver. 4-6 months); Home Office; London Detainee Support Group (44/171/4773065) GB; OXFORD - Campsfield ; 200 (more than); Asylum-seekers, blacks... (immigration prison); till 15 months; Campaign to close Campsfield (44-1865-724452) GB; ROCHESTER (Kent) GB; PORTSMOUTH - Haslar GB; BRISTOL - Horfield H; Gyor; 500; Illegals, deportees; MLKO (36-1-1665570) LT; Olaine; 600 (per year); Illegals, deportees; prison NL; AMSTERDAM - Schiphol (border 'hospitium'); 120; Deportees (rejected asylum-seekers), transit, illegals ; till 6 months; IND (Immigrat. and natural. service); Autonoom Centrum (31-20-6126172); not enough prof. staf, use of informants, first in Europe NL; Tilburg - Willem II (prison); 288, till 7 months; Vluchtelingen Vrij, Centrum voor aktie en bezinning; underpayed work (=C4 27,50 /20h), 1h/week visit NL; Nieuwersluis (illegals prison) NL; Leeuwarden (illegals prison) NL; Ter Apel (deportation center); Deportees (diffucult cases), illegals, rejected asylum-seekers ; till 3 months; IND (Immigrat. and natural. service); Autonoom Centrum (s.a.); extra security/controle PL; LESZNOWOLA; 200; Illegals, deportees, first det. camp in Pl; surrounded by a 4 m wall P; Leixes; 140 (per year); Illegals (undocemented), transiters, clandestines, deportees; Portuguese law doesn't include NGO's in procedure; Portuguese autorities deny detention in harbour RO; TIMISOARA - Airport Otopani; Deportees (rejected asylum-seekers from WE, undocumented..); 5 months; Romanian Com. for Migration Problems; RO; APADOR-CH (40/1/3124528); excessive use of force, unregular meals... UNITED for Intercultural Action European network against nationalism, racism, fascism and in support of migrants and refugees Postbus 413 NL-1000 AK Amsterdam The Netherlands tel.no. +31-20-6834778 fax no. +31-20-6834582 e-mail united@antenna.nl ******************************************************** Europe-wide Action Week Against Racism 16-24 March 1996 O N E R A C E -- H U M A N R A C E Hundreds of actions in more than thirty countries... ********************************************************