The Red Line Project

The objective of the Red Line detention project (2017-2019) was to document and raise awareness of how EU states’ border “reception” procedures are increasingly used for the detention of asylum seekers. The project received financial support from the European Programme for Integration and Migration (EPIM) and involved NGOs in Hungary (HHC), Bulgaria (Foundation for Access to Rights), Greece (Greek Council for Refugees), Italy (Italian Council for Refugees) and the Global Detention Project (GDP).

For further resources of the Red Line project, please refer to the materials below:

• The final report, “Crossing a Red Line: How EU Countries Undermine the Right to Liberty by Expanding the Use of Detention of Asylum Seekers upon Entry,” is based on assessments made by project partners of how the morphing of “reception” into “detention” at the borders of their countries is undermining asylum seekers’ right to liberty. This research explores how Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary and Italy undermine the right to liberty of asylum seekers upon entry. 

• On the website media toolkit, media outlets and anyone interested will find accurate information for media outlets in a “plain language” format.
• The red line project: Challenging the Erosion of Asylum Seekers’ Right to Liberty at the Borders of Europe. Key findings and recommendations.
• Best Interest Behind Bars. Leaflet for practicing lawyers on the possible breach of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights when asylum-seeking families with minor children are detained.  
• Looking behind bars. Leaflet for European NGOs to support their access for monitoring purposes to facilities where asylum-seekers and irregular migrants are detained.
• Testimonies from behind bars. Short leaflet on collecting testimonies from detained asylum seekers.