Rights improvement urged at detention centers

By Yun Suh-young

The human rights agency called for an improvement in the operation and structure of temporary detention centers for illegal immigrants.

In a recommendation submitted Wednesday to the Minister of Justice, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) called for removing the steel bars at the centers and replacing them with less intimidating material.

“The detention centers are not jails but places where illegal immigrants are temporarily detained until deportation procedures are completed. However, the offensive structures of the facilities remind people of jails and therefore violates the rights of the detainees,” the commission said in a statement.

It also called for improvement in the sanitary conditions and more freedom to be provided to the immigrants in engaging in religious activities or meeting their families.

The agency conducted research on immigrants at the facilities since 2010 and visited shelters such as Hwaseong Immigration Processing Center, Cheongju Immigration Processing Center, and Yeosu Immigration Office.

“After inspecting the facilities, we came up with the conclusion that they still needed improvement in many aspects although some changes have been made by the government,” an NHRC official said.

The agency recommended that the ministry provide information about the center’s rules and regulations in several other languages in addition to the current Korean, English and Chinese. It recommended that the centers improve the clothing and bedding provided to detainees and replace them with new ones more often.

It also recommended they be given freedom to perform sports and religious activities and flexibly meet their families at times other than designated hours.