Legal Action Against UK Government Over Asylum Centre Treatment
More than 250 detainees at the Manston asylum centre claim unlawful detention and breaches of human rights.
Over 250 individuals, who were held at the Manston asylum centre in Kent during a period of severe overcrowding, are suing the UK government for human rights violations and unlawful detention.
The asylum seekers, comprising men, women, and children, include a woman who suffered a miscarriage, a child misclassified as an adult due to incorrect age recording, and a teenager who was a victim of torture and human trafficking.
The Manston centre, which was utilized by the Home Office for processing migrants who crossed the English Channel via small boats, was described as experiencing a 'humanitarian crisis' during the autumn of 2022. Conditions at the facility drew criticism from various sources, including David Neal, the former independent chief inspector of borders and immigration, who reported that the situation was unsatisfactory and alarmingly poor.
Andy Baxter, assistant general secretary of the Prison Officers’ Association, raised concerns while responding to reports from union members who worked at the site.
He stated that conditions were comparable to those found in refugee camps in less stable countries, rather than a temporary staging area within the UK.
During the crisis, makeshift accommodations like marquees, originally intended for brief use, remained occupied for extended periods, with some residents sleeping on the ground in unhygienic conditions.
The facility faced outbreaks of diphtheria and scabies, with one individual reportedly dying from diphtheria while Kent police investigated reports of assaults by guards on asylum seekers.
The legal claims stem from experiences of detention between June and November 2022, with survivors detailing harrowing conditions.
One 19-year-old from Sudan stated he was not provided necessary medical attention and was denied basic hygiene during his 33-day stay.
A 17-year-old Kurdish boy from Iraq expressed distress over being assigned an incorrect birth date that classified him as an adult; he was held for 12 days.
A Syrian woman and her five young children faced particularly dire circumstances.
After her husband voiced concerns about the conditions, he was removed from Manston and sent to an immigration detention centre, leaving her separated from him and fearing for his well-being.
She reported a lack of basic necessities such as clean clothing and adequate sanitation facilities, ultimately struggling to care for her children, who fell ill from a circulating bug in the camp.
She later discovered she was pregnant, but the stress and lack of medical care during her detention resulted in a miscarriage.
Upon release, she was reunited with her husband but reported ongoing psychological impacts from their experiences at Manston.
Legal representatives emphasize that their clients have been subjected to conditions that violate human rights protections.
Emily Soothill of Deighton Pierce Glynn, who is supporting some of the claimants, remarked on the prevalence of vulnerabilities among asylum seekers and the expectation of treatment with dignity.
Jed Pennington of Wilsons solicitors called for accountability regarding the governmental failures that led to the crisis, seeking transparency about what transpired at Manston, who is responsible, and steps to prevent recurrence.
The asylum seekers, comprising men, women, and children, include a woman who suffered a miscarriage, a child misclassified as an adult due to incorrect age recording, and a teenager who was a victim of torture and human trafficking.
The Manston centre, which was utilized by the Home Office for processing migrants who crossed the English Channel via small boats, was described as experiencing a 'humanitarian crisis' during the autumn of 2022. Conditions at the facility drew criticism from various sources, including David Neal, the former independent chief inspector of borders and immigration, who reported that the situation was unsatisfactory and alarmingly poor.
Andy Baxter, assistant general secretary of the Prison Officers’ Association, raised concerns while responding to reports from union members who worked at the site.
He stated that conditions were comparable to those found in refugee camps in less stable countries, rather than a temporary staging area within the UK.
During the crisis, makeshift accommodations like marquees, originally intended for brief use, remained occupied for extended periods, with some residents sleeping on the ground in unhygienic conditions.
The facility faced outbreaks of diphtheria and scabies, with one individual reportedly dying from diphtheria while Kent police investigated reports of assaults by guards on asylum seekers.
The legal claims stem from experiences of detention between June and November 2022, with survivors detailing harrowing conditions.
One 19-year-old from Sudan stated he was not provided necessary medical attention and was denied basic hygiene during his 33-day stay.
A 17-year-old Kurdish boy from Iraq expressed distress over being assigned an incorrect birth date that classified him as an adult; he was held for 12 days.
A Syrian woman and her five young children faced particularly dire circumstances.
After her husband voiced concerns about the conditions, he was removed from Manston and sent to an immigration detention centre, leaving her separated from him and fearing for his well-being.
She reported a lack of basic necessities such as clean clothing and adequate sanitation facilities, ultimately struggling to care for her children, who fell ill from a circulating bug in the camp.
She later discovered she was pregnant, but the stress and lack of medical care during her detention resulted in a miscarriage.
Upon release, she was reunited with her husband but reported ongoing psychological impacts from their experiences at Manston.
Legal representatives emphasize that their clients have been subjected to conditions that violate human rights protections.
Emily Soothill of Deighton Pierce Glynn, who is supporting some of the claimants, remarked on the prevalence of vulnerabilities among asylum seekers and the expectation of treatment with dignity.
Jed Pennington of Wilsons solicitors called for accountability regarding the governmental failures that led to the crisis, seeking transparency about what transpired at Manston, who is responsible, and steps to prevent recurrence.
