Human rights groups denounce violation of the right to asylum by police

A new, illegal practice violating migrants’ right to asylum has been reported by the Association for Juridical Studies on Immigration, Avvocati per Niente and Naga. Thanks to the first-hand accounts of migrants, attorneys and social workers, these organizations have been able to expose the worrying practices taking place at the Questura of Milan.

Preliminary screening: economic migrants or asylum seekers?

Upon arrival at the police station, asylum seekers are requested to fill out an apparently innocuous questionnaire that will, in fact, decide their fate: the questionnaire is used to determine, without any juridical assessment, whether they are entitled to international protection or whether they are merely “economic migrants”. In the latter case, the refugees are immediately handed an expulsion order before even getting the chance to present a claim for asylum, a practice that is in blatant violation of international laws. 

Lack of assistance and transparency

To make matters worse, attorneys and social workers have had limited access to the offices where asylum claims are filed, and no interpreters were available. The lack of assistance left asylum seekers in an extremely vulnerable position.

An alarming practice of violation within a public institution

This is a truly alarming situation. Besides its obvious illegality, it is very worrying that such a practice could even have taken place with impunity within a public institution.

A letter denouncing this violation has been sent with a request for clarification.

The violation was also reported by the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE), which has voiced its deep concern.