Refugees deserve protection, not imprisonment

In Bulgaria, in violation of international and domestic legislation, authorities intern asylum-seekers in closed police institutions, depriving them of their most basic human right – the right to freedom.

In 2011, 588 asylum-seeking refugees were confined in police detention centers. 64 of them were children.

This is not simply illegal. It is inhumane. Make a change. Sign this petition.

Your letter will be sent to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Migration Directorate, Border Police Directorate-General and the State Agency for Refugees.

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One year after joining the European Union, Bulgaria adopted a decree authorizing police forces to imprison not only illegal immigrants, but also asylum-seekers in detention centers.

Government authorities justified the move by noting the insufficient capacity of the dormitories managed by the State Agency for Refugees.  
Instead of resolving the problem, authorities decided to confine refugees seeking asylum from persecution in Bulgaria to a closed police institution, depriving them of their key human right – the right to freedom.  
Refugees are people who flee to save their life and freedom from torture, discrimination, inhuman or degrading treatment due to their race, religion, nationality, affiliation to a specific social group, or political affiliation.  
Instead of finding protection in Bulgaria, refugees are detained until further notice and until the State Agency for Refugees finds placement in the dormitories.  
 In 2011, 588 asylum-seeking refugees were imprisoned in police detention centers.

64 of them were children.    This practice is a gross violation of the European Directive 2005/85/ЕО, Article 18, which prohibits the detention of refugees solely on the basis of their asylum application. 
 Pressured by human rights organizations, in November 2011 the government adopted an amendment to the regulation and abolished the right of the police to detain refugees.  
Nevertheless, the practice of detaining refugees in closed institutions continues. The State agency for refugees does not yet have the capacity to provide accommodation to all refugees until their asylum application is processed.

Today the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee launched a public campaign to change this intolerable practice. Details about the campaign can be found at zakrila.bghelsinki.org

We demand that immediate measures be taken for the release and the provision of accommodation to refugees, so that an end is put to the infringement of their right to freedom, food and asylum.

We demand that the transition center in Pastrogor village, built several years ago, be immediately put into operation.

Providing shelter and asylum to those in need is an act of humanity, which cannot be carried out using inhumane methods.

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