Jewish human rights group welcomes report on detention of asylum seekers

A Jewish human rights group has welcomed a parliamentary report that criticises government policy on the detention of asylum-seekers and has urged its immediate review.

The charity René Cassin was reacting to the publication of The Parliamentary Inquiry into the use of Immigration Detention in the UK, which damns current policy as “expensive, ineffective and unjust”.

Sam Grant, the group’s campaigns director, said: “Locking innocent and vulnerable people up indefinitely is inhumane.”

He added: “Jewish experience of immigration to the UK is still very raw and recent. How would I have wanted my grandparents to be met off the kindertransport? With further fear, humiliation and uncertainty? That is exactly what many of today’s migrants to the UK have to face.”

The group has urged the introduction of a 28-day limit to replace the current practice of potentially holding asylum-seekers indefinitely. “Even Russia has set a time limit for immigration detention,” said Grant.

The first recommendation of #detentioninquiry report ‘There should be a time limit of 28 days’ on immigration detention #Time4aTimeLimit

— René Cassin (@Rene_Cassin) March 3, 2015

‘For the country and for those we detain, we cannot go on as we are.’ Sarah Teather MP #detentioninquiry #Time4aTimeLimit

— René Cassin (@Rene_Cassin) March 3, 2015

#detentioninquiry recommendation ‘a wholesale change in culture’ is needed, which requires substantial leadership #Time4aTimeLimit

— René Cassin (@Rene_Cassin) March 3, 2015