site.btaNetwork of National Preventive Mechanisms Says Migrant Detention Should Only Be Used as Last Resort

The participants in the first meeting of the Network of National Preventive Mechanisms from South-Eastern Europe for 2026 adopted a declaration on Thursday, calling for the detention of migrants to be applied only as a measure of last resort and in strict compliance with international human rights standards, the Ombudsman's press centre reported.

The two-day forum is hosted by Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva. The main topic of the discussions was the protection of the fundamental rights of detained migrants and alternatives to detention and forced return to the country of origin. 

"The protection of human dignity cannot be made conditional. Prolonged detention without a real prospect of return creates a risk of disproportionate restriction of freedom and calls into question compliance with international standards," Delcheva stated during the meeting.

The declaration also stressed the need for effective and humane alternatives to detention, guarantees against arbitrary and prolonged deprivation of liberty, as well as access to legal aid, translation, healthcare and effective judicial review. The participants expressed serious concern about cases of prolonged detention in the absence of a realistic prospect of removal or forced return. 

The forum was attended by representatives of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX), the Council of Europe, as well as representatives of national preventive mechanisms and ombudsman institutions from Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Cyprus, Serbia, Croatia and Montenegro. 

As part of the programme, the delegates visited the Special Home for Temporary Accommodation of Foreigners - Sofia Busmantsi Detention Centre at the Migration Directorate of the Ministry of Interior, where they learned about the conditions in the centre and discussed the practical challenges facing institutions.