Malta: Alleged ill-treatment of asylum-seekers must be investigated
Amnesty International is calling for a prompt, thorough and impartial investigation into reports that members of the
Maltese armed forces have subjected scores of asylum-seekers and unauthorized migrants to physical assault resulting in
numerous injuries.
According to the reports received by Amnesty International, on the morning of 13 January 2005, over 90 inmates of a
detention facility for aliens at Safi army barracks conducted a peaceful protest, refusing to re-enter the centre at the
end of an exercise period. The inmates, some of whom had apparently been detained for over 18 months, were protesting
about the length of their detention; lack of information about the progress of their applications for refugee status or
humanitarian protection and, in the case of those whose applications for asylum had already been rejected, lack of
information concerning their future.
Eyewitnesses have reported that at around 10 am, after the protestors refused an order to re-enter the barracks,
soldiers, dressed in riot gear and armed with batons and shields, charged the peaceful protestors and subjected them to
deliberate and gratuitous violence. Photographs taken at the scene lend credence to these reports. It has been claimed
that many people were injured, and some 26 were transferred to hospital for treatment. At least one person was observed
to have blood gushing from a head wound following the assault and several reportedly suffered fractures: one person was
said to be in a "serious" condition.
If these allegations are substantiated, then such ill-treatment would be in clear violation of international treaties
and standards ratified by Malta, as well as domestic law. The perpetrators of such human rights violations should be
brought to justice and the victims should receive compensation.
Background
Amnesty International has repeatedly expressed concern about the situation of asylum-seekers and unauthorized migrants
in Malta and the government’s policy of mandatory detention for all asylum-seekers entering the country. It has called
on the authorities to ensure that, in line with relevant international standards, asylum-seekers are detained only when
a legitimate reason for doing so has been demonstrated in the individual case, only when other measures short of
detention will not suffice, and only for a minimal period.
The organization has also expressed concern about severe delays in the decision-making process regarding asylum
applications; lack of transparency in the appeals process; frequent failure to keep asylum-seekers properly informed of
their rights and the progress of their applications; their frequent lack of access to appropriate legal advice;
conditions of detention which fall below international standards, and lack of adequate and appropriate training for
members of the armed forces and police, in charge of the daily running of detention facilities for aliens.
View all docuents on Malta at http://amnesty-news.c.topica.com/maac4rGabdifmbb0hPub/