Over 250 asylum seekers are taking Manston asylum centre legal action against the UK government, claiming they were unlawfully detained and subjected to degrading and inhumane treatment during a period of extreme overcrowding and health crises at the facility in Kent.
The legal claims stem from a period between June and November 2022, when the Home Office’s Manston site was described by a senior union official as “a humanitarian crisis on British soil.” Among those suing are victims of torture and trafficking, a woman who suffered a miscarriage without access to medical care, and a child whose age was misrecorded, leading to him being treated as an adult.
Detainees Describe Harrowing Conditions and Abuse
A 19-year-old Sudanese man, a victim of torture and trafficking, said he was detained at Manston for 33 days with no access to clean clothes, only one shower, and limited food. He recalled officials telling him to “go back to your country.”
Another claimant, a 17-year-old Kurdish boy from Iraq, said his age was incorrectly recorded as five years older, and he was held for 12 days despite explaining he was a child. A Syrian woman who arrived with her husband and five children reported being left in a filthy, freezing tent for 11 days after her husband was removed and detained separately for complaining about conditions.
She later discovered she was pregnant, but due to the lack of medical access, she miscarried. Her children contracted a sickness virus circulating at the centre, and she was forced to wash soiled clothes using bottled water due to a shortage of running water.
Officials Sounded the Alarm as Conditions Deteriorated
Andy Baxter of the Prison Officers’ Association described Manston as resembling a refugee camp in an unstable region rather than a UK processing centre. Temporary tents meant for short-term use were occupied for over a month, with asylum seekers sleeping on wet cardboard. Outbreaks of diphtheria and scabies were reported, and one man died after contracting diphtheria.
David Neal, the former independent chief inspector of borders and immigration, said he was left “speechless” after witnessing the site’s unsanitary and chaotic conditions.
Legal Experts Cite Human Rights Breaches
Emily Soothill of Deighton Pierce Glynn, representing several claimants, said: “We consider that our clients were falsely imprisoned and that the conditions in Manston were such that their human rights were breached. People seeking asylum should not be treated in this way.”
Jed Pennington of Wilsons Solicitors added: “The humanitarian crisis that unfolded at Manston is unacceptable in a country that claims to have well-developed systems for accommodating refugees. Our clients want accountability and reform.”
As legal proceedings begin, the case is likely to intensify scrutiny of the UK government’s asylum processing system and the treatment of vulnerable individuals seeking refuge.
