New Zealand violates human rights in asylum process

Amnesty International notes in a new report that the New Zealand government has repeatedly violated the human rights of people seeking asylum. The organization conducted field investigations in New Zealand for the first time after a number of reports of mistreatment of people in prison, including those who sought asylum.

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Report: ‘Take me to safety’: imprisonment of asylum seekers in Aotearoa, New Zealand

Amnesty International’s report ‘Take me to a safe place’: imprisonment of asylum seekers in Aotearoa, New Zealand reveals that from 2015 to 2020, 86 people who applied for asylum were held in prisons. Among the 12 people interviewed for the report were a woman and a man who were forced to fight other inmates in an infamous prison. Another man was reportedly raped (an investigation is currently underway).

Right to a fair trial not applied

The report shows that asylum seekers placed in prison are subjected to a complex maze of immigration and criminal justice processes. First, they are interviewed by immigration officials, then spend three to four nights in detention, then appear in court and end up going to jail. Amnesty International found that every step of the process did not respect the right to a fair trial.

‘Alle asielzoekers met wie we spraken, vertelden over de impact van hun gevangeniservaring op hun welzijn, en de schok die ze ervaarden toen bij aankomst bleek dat ze werden opgesloten in Nieuw-Zeeland, terwijl ze hier warven gekomen en om een ​​le hier veven gekomen en om een ​​le yesterday search. Our researchers were shocked to discover the extent of human rights violations, ”says Meg de Ronde from Amnesty International.

Amnesty’s appeal

“People are detained unnecessarily because the immigration system is not in order and this affects their possibilities to seek asylum,” said Meg de Ronde. Lawyers and civil society organizations have been raising this issue for years, and this report really shows the extent of the problem. The New Zealand government can no longer ignore this problem. Amnesty International calls for an immediate and urgent reform of the Immigration Act 2009 to put an end to these practices ”.

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