Priti Patel’s Detention Policies Found to Breach Human Rights Rules

Court finds home secretary accountable for failures to ensure that deaths in immigration detention centres are investigated properly

A landmark court ruling has held the home secretary, Tory Priti Patel, accountable for failures in ensuring that deaths in immigration detention centres are properly investigated.

Two judges in the immigration court ruled on Wednesday that three of the Boris Johnson’s home secretary’s detention policies breached human rights rules and that she could not frustrate or undermine inquiries into these deaths.

The home secretary’s current policy was found to be “legally deficient”. The judges found that the absence of a policy to direct what should happen following a death in immigration detention was unlawful and concluded that there needed to be such a policy.

Jamie Bell of Duncan Lewis solicitors, said:

“This case demonstrates the cavalier attitude of the [Tory controlled] Home Office when enforcing removals. Despite a tragic death within a detention centre, the home secretary did not hesitate to maintain her plan to remove potential witnesses by charter flight, ignoring anyone who wished to come forward to give evidence.”

Full story at The Guardian