18 June 2012 -- A new report by Amnesty International reveals overcrowded conditions and prolonged confinement in Cyprus' immigration detention centres. 

The report, Punishment without a crime: Detention of migrants and asylum seekers in Cyprus, calls on the Cypriot authorities to bring their detention system into line with international standards, which obliges governments to use detention in only exceptional circumstances. 

"Detention should not be a tool for regulating migration", asserts Jezerca Tigani, Amnesty's Deputy Director for Europe and Central Asia.

"Cypriot authorities are willfully violating international and European Union law when they detain irregular migrants without examining alternative measures and demonstrating that their detention is indeed necessary."

"Instead it is routine to deprive them of their liberty, for months or years, not because they have committed some crime but simply to effect their deportation, even in cases where their deportation is impossible", says Ms Tigani.

The report shows that prolonged detention, for months and years, is common, and that people are kept in poor conditions without adequate medical care. Alarmingly, the report shows that Cypriot authorities continue detaining people even in cases where the country's Supreme Court orders thei release. 

An Amnesty delegation revisited Blocks 9 and 10 of Nicosia Central Prison and Lakatamia detention centre in mid-June, but found no substantial changes to report. Unhygenic conditions persisted, especially with the summer heat. 

Amnesty International's report confirms the findings in JRS Europe's 2010 report, Becoming Vulnerable in Detention. At that time, JRS Europe's Cypriot research partner found poor detention conditions, insufficient provision of information towards and even cases of mistreatment towards detainees. 

"Unfortunately in the two years since our report, there appear to be few changes in the way Cyprus uses detention", says Philip Amaral of JRS Europe. 

Amnesty's report comes at an important time, as the Cypriot government will assume the six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union in July. During their presidency, Cyprus will likely oversee the adoption of new EU rules on asylum seeker detention and on the Dublin Regulation. 

"The presidency of the Council is a great time for Cyprus to demonstrate its committmenet to fundamental human rights and protection for asylum seekers and migrants. They can demonstrate this committment by leading the adoption of new EU rules that keep detention exceptional and subject to strict rights guidelines, and by setting a good example at home by using less detention", says Mr Amaral.