Visits in 2015
45
chartered flight at Oslo Airport Gardermoen. According
to the NPM’s observations, the deportation was carried
out in a dignified and professional manner.
It was also positive that the detainees mostly had positive
things to say about the detention centre staff. Many of
them stated that they were treated with respect and
received the necessary assistance in their day-to-day
pursuits.
One of the main findings was that, overall, excessive
attention to control and security was at the expense
of the individual detainee’s integrity. This had also
been pointed out by the Parliamentary Ombudsman
after previous visits. Many of the detainees felt that
they were treated as criminals, even though they had
not been convicted of a crime. Several described the
humiliation of undergoing a body search on arrival and
after all visits. The body search entailed the removal of
all clothing and that the detainee had to squat over a
mirror on the floor so that the staff could check whether
they had concealed items in their rectum or genital area.
The detainees perceived it as especially upsetting that a
full body search was conducted after visits, even though
staff members were always present in the room during
the visit. Many were also frustrated because they were
not given access to their mobile phone and that they
could only speak to their families and friends for a few
minutes each day, and because they were locked in their
rooms during evenings, at night and for shorter periods
during the day.
The detention centre used largely the same security
procedures as the Correctional Services, including
procedures for locking detainees in and out of their
rooms, the use of security cells and solitary confinement,
and room searches. In some respects the procedures
appeared to be more intrusive than in many prisons. In
addition to concerns about the overall control regime,
it should be noted that all these control measures can
result in more unrest and undesirable incidents rather
than a sense of security.
The police immigration detention centre
The immigration detention centre did not appear to be
a suitable place for children. In 2014, 330 children were
detained, 10 of them without adult guardians. There
were no children at the detention centre at the time of
the NPM’s visit. The atmosphere at the detention centre
was characterised by stress and unrest. Several incidents
took place at the detention centre in 2014 and 2015,
including major rebellions. The incidents included 18
documented self-harm incidents and suicide attempts,
the smashing of furniture and fixings and the use of
force. In two instances during the same period, children
also witnessed their parents self-harming. This was not
deemed to be a satisfactory psychosocial environment
for children.
Several weaknesses were identified in the health services. A clear majority of the detainees were critical of the
health services offered by the detention centre. Among
other things, the criticism concerned factors such as a
lack of confidentiality, availability and follow-up.
The immigration detention centre purchased health
services from a private health enterprise based on a
contract between the enterprise and the National Police
Immigration Service (NPIS). The contractual relationship
between the enterprise’s doctors and the NPIS raised
questions about the health service’s professional
independence. This could undermine the relationship of
trust between patients and health personnel and weaken
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