Amnesty International has for the first time carried out investigative field research on Aotearoa New Zealand soil. It follows a number of reports of the ill-treatment of people in prison, including people who’ve sought asylum here. This report establishes that the New Zealand Government has repeatedly violated the human rights of people seeking asylum. 

Key recommendations:

1. End the use of criminal justice facilities such as police stations and prisons to detain asylum seekers or irregular migrants, since these are designed for those within the realm of the criminal justice system.
2. Reform the Immigration Act 2009 to ensure that it is consistent with international human rights standards.
3. Ensure that community alternatives to detention are available, funded adequately and accessible to asylum seekers and irregular migrants in policy and practice, without discrimination.
4. Immediately review cross-agency failures to ensure due process rights at all stages of the immigration detention process, in co-operation with rights holders, lawyers, the UNHCR and civil society organisations.
5. If immigration detention is used as a last resort and is legal, necessary and proportionate, ensure that any restrictions on movement or detention conditions comply with relevant international human rights standards.