As 2012 draws to a close, immigration detention across the Middle East and North Africa continues to grow as an issue of major concern.
Media and member reports from across the region point to real concerns in Libya, where refugees, asylum seekers and migrants, including children, continue to be held in adhoc, makeshift detention facilities, in incredibly poor conditions with no oversight.
In Yemen, people travelling from Eritrea, Ethiopia and beyond continue to be detained upon arrival, and in Israel, people ariving are detained under the harsh anti-infiltration laws in desert detention facilities.
In Jordan, groups have expressed concern about the detention of some of those fleeing Syria. Furthermore, people on the move in the region are not only at risk of immigration detention, but also of kidnap, torture and exortion, as seen in Egypt and Yemen for example.
The IDC is looking for opportunities to engage with members and interested stakeholders on practical projects in the region next year, in the areas of capacity building, alternatives to detention, and preventing immigration detention of children.
Please contact Lucy Bowring ([email protected]) with any ideas or interest in being involved.