Crise du coronavirus en prison : journal d’appels de l’OIP

Originally published by Observatoire International des Prisons (OIP) on 01/04/2020

Summary

Summary of telephone calls received from detainees and their close ones, collected and logged by the “Observatoire International des Prisons”. Gives first-hand accounts of prison conditions throughout France as the COVID-19 pandemic progresses and continues to develop. Accounts From March 16, 2020 until April 2, 2020.

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Coronavirus : l’aide sociale à l’enfance à l’épreuve du confinement dans la Somme

Originally published by France Bleu on 28/03/2020

Summary

1500 children are currently living confined in orphanages or with host families in Somme . Social workers are decrying conditions in such facilities that quickly can become overwhelming. The article raises the issue of teenage runaways during the COVID-19 pandemic and a shortfall of staff required to deal with the issue.

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Communiqué de Human Rights Watch – « France : Des enfants livrés à eux-mêmes malgré le Covid-19 »

Originally published by InfoMie.net on 25/03/2020

Summary

Press release from Human Rights Watch warns of unaccompanied migrant children being deprived of essential services in Marseille and Gap. Among other things, child protection authorities in affected Regions are struggling to provide shelter and other social services to unaccompanied migrant children, who in many cases live in precarious conditions without access to essential services. Because of certain containment measures taken by the French government on March 16, 2020, combined with precarious conditions that are prevalent with unaccompanied minors, migrant children cannot follow containment measures imposed by the French government and are therefore at greater risk. Local lawyers are calling on the departments to provide shelter for these at risk youth, regardless of their legal status and age. Furthermore, Human Rights Watch documented instances of court orders for the temporary placement of unaccompanied minors that are not enforced.

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Coronavirus: Inmates in France hit out over prison hygiene amid COVID-19 fears

Originally published by Euronews on 25/03/2020

Summary

The article depicts the poor and deteriorating health conditions that are prevalent in certain French prisons. the article also details some of the factors that are exacerbating contamination within prison facilities (e.g., no protective masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, overcrowding, unprotected prison officials,…). Describes a complaint filed by lawyers representing prison detainees targeting the justice minister and prime minister and alleging a “failure to assist a person in danger”. Early release is also raised as a potential measure for curbing the spread of the virus within detention centers.

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Les centres de rétention se vident, l’administration persiste

Originally published by Dalloz Actualité on 24/03/2020

Summary

Since self-isolation has begun, French lawyers have been advocating for the freedoms of detainees and seeking interim measures for the release of persons held in administrative detention centers. Authorities are urged to completely empty these facilities because of the heightened risk of infection for staff and detainees; however, release orders are being delayed, in part because of the understaffing of judges making these types of decisions. In some cases, contradictory decisions have also been rendered by judicial bodies on the conditions and standards for release. notwithstanding, Orders are slowly reducing the number of individuals held in administrative detention centers.

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Covid-19 – face aux risques de contamination, le défenseur des droits demande la fermeture des centres de rétention administrative

Originally published by Défenseur des Droits on 22/03/2020

Summary

Human rights advocates are demanding the closure of administrative detention centers in France. They argue that there is no legal basis, given the current health crisis, for detaining individuals who have no prospect of being removed from the country in the short term. Any attempt to remove these individuals would further promote the spread of the virus, which would contradict advice issued by the WHO regarding best practices for containment.

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Les associations demandent la fermeture des centres et locaux de rétention administrative au regard de la crise sanitaire du COVID-19

Originally published by Forum Réfugiés on 19/03/2020

Summary

This is an open letter to the Ministry of the Interior from Organizations working detention centers, requesting the closure of these facilities in view of the COVID-19 health crisis. The letter Calls out poor conditions in administrative detention and the absence of protocols for safeguarding the health of detainees and individuals working in these facilities. The letter raises the serious public health concerns with maintaining detention centers operative during the COVID-19 health crisis and calls for the closure of centers, the suspension of decisions and release of detainees.

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Centres de rétention : étrangers et policiers face au coronavirus

Originally published by Dalloz Actualité on 18/03/2020

Summary

This article accounts some of the shortfalls and risks of operating administrative detention centers amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Detainees are confined in suboptimal sanitary conditions, exacerbated by shortages of critical PPE. Furthermore, police officers and detention staff are not able to adequately enforce the health rules necessary to limit the spread of the virus. Government directives mandate that detainees exhibiting symptoms should be immediately placed in isolation in a single room and be subject to a medical examination. If the detainee is found to be infected, they are immediately removed from the facility and placed under house arrest (if there are accommodations) or taken in medical care. Detention orders are being challenged under appeal by refugee and human rights lawyers.

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Coronavirus à Lille : Les pensionnaires oubliés des centres de rétention

Originally published by 20minutes on 17/03/2020

Summary

This article provides an account of the conditions in French administrative detention centers, for detainees who are required to leave the country, but are neither released nor expelled. Containment measures have created a state of limbo for these detainees. Given the measures in place, they have no prospect of removal and have no direct access to lawyers or any outside people. Sent detainees have resorted to hunger strikes.

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Mesures d’urgence en vue d’endiguer la propagation du COVID-19 aux personnes migrantes

Originally published by Le Ciré on 17/03/2020

Summary

Open letter to Minister Maggie De Block (Belgium) by NGOs concerning emergency measures intended to stem the spread of COVID-19 within migrant groups in Belgium. The letter provides an overview of circumstances and conditions that can render migrant populations more vulnerable to Covid-19 and that is surely exacerbated measures taken by many European states to close national borders.

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Coronavirus in France: in retention centers, conditions far from official recommendations

Originally published by Infomigrants.net / Charlotte Oberti on 17/03/2020

Summary

Several associations are asking for the urgent release of some 900 people present in administrative detention centers in France, places they deem unsuitable for government-sponsored coronavirus protection measures. More than 900 individuals were still being detained in various centers throughout France.Because of the situation, various judges have started releasing individuals whose detention extension had been requested, because keeping these individuals detained would have contravened the health guidelines. Twelve people in Bordeaux were freed. The Mayotte enter was closed. The centres of Mesnil Amelot and Vincennes have not released anyone.The Ministry of the Interior has not responded to the inquiries of various non-profits.

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Coronavirus: les prisons préparent leur plan de crise

Originally published by Le Figaro on 12/03/2020

Summary

This article provides an early account of concerns within prison administrations of the risk that COVID-19 will rapidly spread within the prison system in France. It raises concerns related to prison overcrowding and some of the measures taken, including limiting visitations and prisoner transfers, as well as closing canteen areas . Containment practices to limit physical interactions are encouraged; for example, telephone interviews and document exchanges by email.

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