Open Access Now! Campaign for access of civil society and journalists to detention centres in Europe

Today, in most EU countries, journalists and civil society have very limited access to migrant detention centres. Often, it is impossible to meet people in detention, or even to talk to them. Generally, only MPs have right of access. This lack of transparency increases the risk of malpractice and numerous rights violations.

European Alternatives, in its ongoing commitment to defend migrants' rights, is launching together with Migreurop and a Europe-wide coalition of organization, the European campaign 'Open Access Now', calling for access to detention centres for civil society organisations and journalists.

The campaign will focus on visits by journalists and civil society groups to detention centres for migrants. After the visits, we will collect the reports on the possibility of access and on the situation of people detained there (length of detention, possible violation of rights). Visits will take place between March 26 and April 26.

The main aim is to let people know what's carried on in their name in Europe and to trigger debate on the way Europe defends (or in this case does not) defend human rights in Europe.

You can find more information in a dedicated website, which will be constantly updated with background information and all relevant documents to accompany groups willing to participate, to make a demand of authorisation and then to ask the relevant questions during the visit (visit kit).

We invite interested civil society groups and journalists to ask for access to detention centres for migrants in order to report on the situation of detentions and on the situation and length of detention.

Join our campaign here!