New Zealand Human Rights Commission Submission to the CAT in relation to NZ’s 6th
periodic review
4.
Detention of Asylum Seekers
LOIPR: para 10 – Please provide information on the detention of asylum seekers and
undocumented migrants in correctional facilities and indicate whether they are detained
together with convicted prisoners
Relevant provision of the CAT: Article 1, 3, 4, 10, 11 and 16
SPT Recommendation:
The SPT recommends that the State party should expedite the rebuilding of the Mangere
refugee and asylum centre with a view to ensuring that living conditions respect the dignity
of refugees and asylum seekers.
The State party should also, as a matter of urgency, improve record keeping at the Mangere
refugee and asylum centre, ensuring that information concerning refugees and asylum seekers
is easily accessible and accurate.
WGAD Recommendation:
It is of concern to the Working Group that New Zealand is using the prison system to detain
irregular migrants and asylum seekers....
The Working Group is also concerned over cases reported to it in which asylum seekers and
irregular migrants were not provided with legal representation and interpretation, and
detained in police stations or remand prisons.
Key issues:
The appropriateness of using police stations for immigration purposes.
The criminalisation of asylum seekers.
Lack of knowledge and training in relation to identification of symptoms of
trauma and standards of detention for asylum seekers.
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