1. From TORTURE to DETENTION
Access of Torture Survivor and Traumatised Asylum-Seekers to Rights and Care in Detention Co-funded by the European Union STRENGTH workshop,

2. About the STRENGTH project
Goals
Why Hungary and Bulgaria?
What is „complex rehabilitation?”
Activities of the project between 2014
July and 2015 December

3. Monitoring detention centres
12 visits in both countries
Multifunctional research teams
Identification
Referral
Legal/medical follow-up

4. 1. The lack of systematic identification makes legal safeguards ineffective
Lack of identification protocols for vulnerable asylum-seekers
What happens in practice?
RECOMMENDATION: Standard identification procedures to be led by an expert psychologist or psychiatrist. Regular monitoring, regular mental support
VISIBLE ?
INVISIBLE
disabled people
elderly people
pregnant women
single parents with minor children
minors
unaccompanied minors
victims of human trafficking, persons with serious illnesses, persons with mental disorders and persons who have been subjected to torture, rape or other serious forms of psychological, physical or sexual violence, such as victims of female genital mutilation
TVs can be found in detention in the same proportions as in open facilities! No protocol, and no individual good ssolutions either
In practice relying on subjective opinions (troublemaker?)
KEY: trainer mental health personnel

5. 2. Scarce and confusing information contributes to re-traumatisation in detention
How does the asylum procedure work? Should I ask for asylum? What happens if I don’t?
Why am I detained? For how long? Do I have a lawyer? Where is he/she?
Is this a prison? What are my rights in detention?
“We do not know what to expect. People are moved to another building and then back with no explanation. Upon arrival at the border we are often given documents to sign with no translation. We are not sure what we are signing.”
RECOMMENDATION: when interpreters are not available, information in writing! Intercultural mediators, training on intercultural communication
RECOMMENDATIONS:
competent and specifically trained asylum officers
proper interpretation
intercultural training and mediators
consultations for detainees

6. 3. The lack of training and sensitisation of staff contributes to conflicts
basic language skills
health hazards
who are asylum seekers?
trauma, torture and its symptomps
intercultural contexts, conflict resolution
RECOMMENDATIONS: all of the above…
“I was detained in my home country by an unknown armed group. I was beaten in prison with
my hands tied to my back and my eyes blindfolded. I didn’t know who they were. Being closed
here reminds me continuously of those experiences. I have flashbacks all the time and I cannot
sleep at night. If I do fall asleep, nightmares wake me up. Right after waking up, it strikes me like
an electric shock that I am again in a prison, and I am terrorised that they will hurt me again.”53
“I know that many come from war-torn countries. But still, there must be a reason why they are
in prison! And if you see how they behave, it is clear that gentle words, decent behaviour and rule
of law are nothing in the countries where they come from. What they understand is aggression
and oppression.”
Menedék Association has been implementing a series of training projects in immigration detention centres since 2011, aimed at
developing the competences of police staff, armed guards, as well as psycho-social and health care professionals in the centres

7. 4. Working cooperation with the authorities
Proper access and provision of
information
What else is monitoring
good for?
RECOMMENDATION: formal cooperation agreements
Formal cooperation agreements would be good for:
- identification of torture victims
- fulfilment of all other related legal obligations
- reduction of tension in detainees and stress in detention staff

8. 5. Unnecessary limitation of detainees’ contact with the outside world
Limitations re-traumatize: no communication, idleness, no information about family members.
Example of Syrian man, payment of bail with the last money.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
asylum-seekers should keep mobile phones
provision of WIFI network

9. 6. Interpretation is unavailable in many crucial settings
Examples: patients don’t take medicines, doctors give always the same pills.
Serious cases! A diabetic Syrian man.
Traumatized patients in medical care: trained medical staff, trained interpereters!
RECOMMENDATIONS: everyday presence of interpreters for a couple of hours. When not there, information sheets to be provided.

10. 7. Specialised medical care is not available
Only emergency care
No systematic, specialised and state-funded medical care and monitoring is ensured for victims of torture
RECOMMENDATIONS:
access to appropriate medical treatment or care
regular monitoring of the situation
access to interpreters
NGO services to be made available
Example: paranoid psychosis – urgent hospitalization needed.

11. 8. Specialised social and psychological care is not available
No psychologist or psychiatrist
Social workers: what do they do and what is missing?
Social workers’ activities: often limited to hand out sanitary packs, clothes or other utensils while being mostly separated from
their clients by iron doors or having their offices in a part of the centre where detainees have no
access to.
Mental health personnel: state funding utopistic, but there are specialized NGOs!
EU law obliges states to provide care to TVs