Together Gibraltar is appalled at the treatment migrants are subjected to in Gibraltar. In the absence of proper facilities to process these migrants, who are often economic migrants but potentially also asylum seekers fleeing from persecution and violence, they end up under the “care” of our prison system and subjected to an express deportation procedure. Sometimes, like is the case at the time of writing this press release, this results in the shocking and inhumane injustice of having two fourteen year old children stuck in prison after a near-death experience and the potential loss of family or friends, without counselling or adequate psychological support.

Prisons should not be the Government’s answer to migrants of any kind. It is high time Gibraltar, a jurisdiction placed some 14km away from Africa, creates proper facilities to adequately receive and process these migrants, ensuring they have adequate legal representation, counselling and dignified living conditions throughout their stay. A purpose built, independent juvenile facility is also long overdue, not only to deal with these migrant minors, but to care for all local juvenile offenders, who also end up washed up in our prison system which, despite valiant efforts made, is simply not an adequate facility for these offenders.

For a community that prides itself on its tolerance and respect of diversity, and that purports to have solid bonds with our North African neighbours, this status quo is nothing short of appalling.

We urge our government to act swiftly and end these injustices before more migrants and minors are mistreated.