Closed detention in the Czech Republic: on what grounds?

Abstract

People who arrive by air in the Czech Republic claiming asylum are transferred to a ‘reception centre’ at Prague’s Vaclav Havel Airport. Although they are deprived of their liberty, have limited access to fresh air and to the internet, and are only allowed to use a payphone, asylum seekers at the centre are not treated as criminals and detainees report that conditions in the reception centre are moderately good. However, there are some significant problems in the Czech Republic’s current practice of detaining applicants for international protection.

Keywords

• detention
• immigration detention
• detainment
• Czech Republic
• asylum
• asylum seekers
• refugees