The Swedish National Board of Institutional Review (JO) criticized conditions at a detention center in Flen where detainees had to sit on the floor to eat due to lack of adequate seating.
The Swedish National Board of Institutional Review (JO) conducts inspections of facilities where individuals are detained against their will to ensure they are not subjected to cruel or inhumane treatment. Recent inspections at Migration Agency detention centers in Åstorp, Gävle, and Flen focused on the physical environment, detainees' access to health care, staff competency, and risks for individuals with disabilities and other care needs.
During a visit to the Flen detention center in November, JO identified several shortcomings, particularly noting that there was insufficient space and facilities that did not meet the necessary standards. A common dining area, where lunch was served in a brief 30-minute window, lacked enough seating, forcing some detainees to either stand or sit on the floor while eating, which JO deemed unacceptable. The inadequacy of these facilities has raised serious concerns about the treatment of detainees within the Swedish immigration system.
Jesper Tengroth, the press officer at the Migration Agency, acknowledged the issues highlighted by JO and stated that they need to analyze the findings to improve conditions within their detention centers. The implications of JO's findings suggest a need for urgent reforms to ensure humane treatment and adequate living conditions for all detainees, particularly in light of international standards for human rights and welfare.
