IRCT REGIONAL REPORT 2016 supposed to be at these emergency reception facilities for three weeks but the asylum authorities are so overwhelmed at the moment that MFH Bochum regularly see clients who end up spending six months here. The authorities do not train staff in reception centres receive on working with torture victims but will on occasion contact MFH Bochum if they see particularly acute symptoms of trauma, to ask for guidance. MFH Bochum is instead left with the task of training volunteers, clinicians, social workers and other NGO staff at reception facilities in supporting torture victims. Unfortunately, MFH Bochum does not have the financial resources to meet the scale of the demand. In 2015, MFH Bochum trained 1,000 people but the need is much higher. “Many of the improvised emergency facilities have very strict security provided by private companies. During a hunger strike in one of the facilities, the security firm denied us entry, presumably because they were afraid we would report our findings.” Asylum seekers can access MLRs but the onus to request one is on the asylum seeker or their legal counsel as they need to contact a specialist NGO. The German government does not, pay for the MLRs to be produced, meaning the organisations must cover the cost. — Christian Cleusters Lack of privacy and information about the asylum procedure are two of the biggest concerns MFH Bochum’s clients report. Clients have noted that they feel “forgotten” by the authorities at these emergency shelters and can sometimes go six months without being registered. Other problems the centre’s clients have reported are that children do not receive formal education at the emergency shelters and that they are deeply worried about the extension of time limitations on family reunification to two years. Under the new asylum rules introduced in Germany through Asylum Package II, the asylum authorities will be able to make an asylum decision within one week for certain population groups (i.e. safe countries of origin) and to make a decision on an appeal within two weeks. Safe third countries currently intclude Albania, Ghana, Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Senegal and Serbia. Other safe countries currently pending are Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. MFH Bochum is extremely concerned that these accelerated processes do not allow for torture victims to be identified and given the relevant support measures. This may result in the rejection of torture victims with very valid protection claims. Several thousand refugees are wandering into the direction of Deutscland © Janossy Gergely page 25