Analysis of Norway’s international obligations, domestic law and practice Detention of Asylum Seekers Detention of Asylum Seekers Analysis of Norway’s international obligations, domestic law and practice © NOAS 2014 Norsk Organisasjon for Asylsøkere www.noas.no [email protected] Published with funds from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Table of contents FOREWORD ......................................................................................................................................................5 ABBREVIATIONS ..............................................................................................................................................6 1 INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................................7 1.1 Summary of main findings and recommendations ..............................................................................7 1.2 Background ........................................................................................................................................... 13 1.3 The scope and structure of the study .................................................................................................. 15 1.4 Methodology .........................................................................................................................................17 1.5 Definition of terms .............................................................................................................................. 20 1.5.1 Asylum seeker ............................................................................................................................ 20 1.5.2 Arrest ......................................................................................................................................... 20 1.5.3 Detention ....................................................................................................................................21 2 INTERNATIONAL LEGAL FRAMEWORK ...................................................................................................23 2.1 Reception conditions and the freedom of movement ........................................................................23 2.2 Alternatives to detention ......................................................................................................................25 2.3 Immigration detention as a non-penal measure ............................................................................... 26 2.4 Non-penalisation for illegal entry or presence ....................................................................................28 2.4.1 Penalties .................................................................................................................................... 30 2.4.2 Illegal entry or presence ............................................................................................................ 30 2.4.3 Coming directly.......................................................................................................................... 30 2.4.4 Without delay ..............................................................................................................................32 2.4.5 Good cause .................................................................................................................................33 2.5 Access to asylum procedure from detention ......................................................................................33 2.6 Safeguards against arbitrary detention................................................................................................34 2.6.1 Permissible grounds ..................................................................................................................34 2.6.2 The principle of legal certainty ...................................................................................................37 2.6.3 The principles of necessity, proportionality and reasonableness ............................................37 2.6.3.1 Global human rights regime...........................................................................................38 2.6.3.2 European human rights regime .....................................................................................39 2.6.3.2.1 Immigration detention .....................................................................................39 2.6.3.2.2 Detention based on other grounds ................................................................42 2.6.3.3 EU law regime ................................................................................................................ 42 2.6.4 Permissible duration ................................................................................................................. 44 2.6.5 Procedural safeguards ................................................................................................................45 2.6.5.1 Reasons for arrest ...........................................................................................................45 2.6.5.2 Legal Assistance .............................................................................................................47 2.6.5.3 Review of detention ....................................................................................................... 48 2.7 Detention of children ...........................................................................................................................50 3 NORWEGIAN LAW AND PRACTICE ......................................................................................................... 53 3.1 Reception conditions and the freedom of movement ........................................................................53 3.1.1 Reception conditions generally .................................................................................................. 53 3.1.2 The freedom of movement ........................................................................................................54 3.1.3 Summary..................................................................................................................................... 55 3.2 Alternatives to detention ......................................................................................................................56 3.2.1 Summary.....................................................................................................................................57 3.3 Immigration detention as a non-penal measure ................................................................................57 3.3.1 The principle of separation ........................................................................................................58 3.3.2 Crimmigration ............................................................................................................................59 3.3.3 Summary....................................................................................................................................60 3.4 Non-penalisation for illegal entry or presence ...................................................................................60 3.4.1 Applicable domestic law ...........................................................................................................60 3.4.2 Domestic practice ..................................................................................................................... 62 3.4.2.1 Lack of knowledge of the international obligation ........................................................62 3.4.2.2 Misinterpretation of the term ‘coming directly’ ........................................................... 64 3.4.2.3 Misinterpretation of the term ‘without delay’ ................................................................65 3.4.3 Implications of penalisation ..................................................................................................... 68 3.4.4 Practice in the UK, Denmark and Finland ................................................................................68 3.4.5 Summary.................................................................................................................................... 70 3.5 Access to asylum procedure from detention ..................................................................................... 70 3.5.1 Summary.....................................................................................................................................71 3.6 Safeguards against arbitrary detention................................................................................................71 3.6.1 Permissible grounds ..................................................................................................................71 3.6.1.1 Crime prevention .............................................................................................................73 3.6.1.2 Summary .........................................................................................................................73 3.6.2 The principle of legal certainty ...................................................................................................74 3.6.2.1 Uncertainty in the standard of proof ..............................................................................74 3.6.2.2 Uncertainty in assessing the risk of absconding ...........................................................75 3.6.2.3 Uncertainty in applicable