Council of Europe committee report warns of dire conditions at Hungary refugee centres

Brussels, June 9 (MTI) – Conditions at Hungary’s refugee reception centres are very bad; immigrants are treated roughly and their access to legal aid or support from civil groups is limited, said a report published by an expert committee related to the Council of Europe.

The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), which was founded by the CoE, said in its report that the number of immigrants to Hungary rose sharply from 2012 to 2013, after the country dropped stipulations under which illegal entrants had been automatically detained.

As a result, “reception facilities became overcrowded and hygienic conditions and security deteriorated rapidly”, said the report.

According to ECRI’s information, 22 percent of asylum-seekers are sent to detention facilities, while “the actual placement of asylum seekers in open reception or detention facilities depends on where there is space at the time, indicating arbitrariness.” Physical or verbal abuse frequently occurs and it is also worrying that families with young children are often placed in detention, the report said.

It noted that refugees at some of the facilities have staged protests and some went on a hunger strike, and added that the European Commission launched an infringement procedure against Hungary over the matter in October 2013. ECRI suggests that Hungary should resort to detention as a last option, and refugees, especially families, should be placed at open centres.