Minimum standards required in the transit zones on the Hungarian land borders

Since 28 March 2017 all asylum-seekers, with the only exception of unaccompanied minors under 14, are held in the closed transit zones for the entirety of their asylum procedure. That placement in the transit zone amounts to unlawful detention is clearly stated in the European Court of Human Rights’ judgement in the case of Ilias and Ahmed v. Hungary of 14 March 2017. That conditions in the transit zones are inadequate is further exemplified by the numerous interim measures granted by the European Court of Human Rights in which the Court indicated to the Government to place the applicants, held in the transit zones, in an environment that meets the requirements of Article 3 of the Convention.

The Hungarian Helsinki Committee’s background note provides the list of the most urgent changes that would ensure that confinement in the transit zones in Hungary is in line with relevant international, EU and domestic standards of detention.

The background note is available online here.