Lawyers for Human Rights demands release of detained asylum seekers and refugees
In a letter to the Minister of Home Affairs yesterday Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) demanded the release by 16:00h today of some 20 asylum seekers and refugees who are being detained at the Lindela Repatriation Centre.
Lawyers for Human Rights has successfully secured the release of some 20 asylum seekers and refugees who were in detention at the Lindela Repatriation Centre.
In a letter to the Minister of Home Affairs last week, LHR had made the demand for the release of unlawfully arrested asylum seekers and refugees.
LHR’s involvement in this matter began when counsel had learned about the arrest of 15 asylum seekers at Marabastad on 24 March 2005 and had intervened on their behalf. The detainees were subsequently released and the Department of Home Affairs assured that no other asylum seekers were being held.
However, two asylum seekers were arrested on Thursday, 24 March 2005 while queuing outside the Department of Home Affairs office at Marabastad,
Reports of unlawful arrests at the Port Elizabeth Refugee Reception Office have also been received at LHR from asylum seekers.
Jacob Van Garderen of LHR-Pretoia stated that: “The arrests of these asylum seekers and refugees by officers is in violation of the Refugees Act and the Constitution and will not be tolerated.”
LHR has asked that the Department provide a copy of its policies, etc.