NGOs demand release of vulnerable migrants from detention centres

A coalition of NGOs has called on Maltese authorities to immediately release vulnerable migrants from detention, criticising the continued practice of holding individuals, including women, children, and those with serious health conditions, in what they describe as inhumane conditions.

The appeal was made during a press conference organised by a number of civil society organisations, including aditus foundation, Jesuit Refugee Service Malta, Moviment Graffitti, and the Malta LGBTIQ Rights Movement. The groups urged authorities to abandon detention as a routine measure and to adopt alternative approaches that respect human dignity and rights.

“Migrants, traumatised by their journeys, are transferred directly from the sea to incarceration,” the NGOs stated. “Others, who have been living and working in Malta legally, are being arrested, detained, and forcibly deported. This practice must end.”

Despite limited access for civil society groups, multiple reports have documented poor conditions at Safi and other detention centres.

A report by the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture described the facilities as “severely overcrowded,” where detainees are “locked in accommodation units with little, if any, access to time outside, and essentially forgotten for months on end.” The report also noted that detained persons receive minimal information about their legal status and have little contact with the outside world.

Vulnerable groups, including young children and unaccompanied minors, were reportedly being held in substandard conditions.

Healthcare access remains a major concern. The exclusive provision of medical services within detention centres prevents detainees from accessing specialised, licensed healthcare professionals from external providers. The NGOs argue that this system not only limits care but also serves as a justification for keeping vulnerable people in detention.

The coalition is demanding immediate change, starting with the release of all vulnerable individuals, including children and members of the LGBTIQ+ community, who should not be subjected to such conditions.

They are also calling for greater transparency within detention centres and improved access for NGOs and legal representatives, arguing that the lack of oversight allows poor treatment to continue unchecked.

Furthermore, the groups are urging the authorities to put an end to the prolonged detention of individuals who pose no threat to society and instead implement community-based alternatives.

According to the NGOs, housing people in open centres or within the community under a supervised release system would allow them to contribute positively to society while complying with immigration requirements. They also demand an immediate halt to targeted raids on migrants who have been longstanding members of the community, stating that such actions only serve to fuel fear and instability.

The organisations insist that there are viable alternatives to detention and stress that prolonged incarceration leads to unnecessary suffering. They vowed to continue advocating for the rights of detained migrants, urging authorities to uphold principles of justice and human dignity.