Published: 14 Mar 2017
Following a verdict from the Court of Appeals in the case R (AA) v Secretary of State for the Home Department, which found that asylum seekers who are under the age of 18 should not be detained even when immigration officials believe they are adults,
Equality and Human Rights Commission Chief Executive Rebecca Hilsenrath said:
“A culture of disbelief in our asylum system is putting children at risk. Children claiming asylum must be treated as children until proven otherwise, and must not be detained or held with adults.
“Britain has a long history of helping refugees from around the world, but this is put at risk if we cannot protect those who are most vulnerable.
“We are glad the court has agreed with us that asylum seekers who are under the age of 18 should not be detained even when immigration officials believe they are adults. This must be confirmed through an independent age assessment.”