Amnesty criticises arson attacks, detention centres

Amnesty International's latest human rights report highlights the arson attacks in Malta against individuals or organisations which spoke out against xenophobia, criticises Malta's detention centres for illegal immigrants and praises the coming into force of the Domestic Violence Act.

The report, The State Of The World's Human Rights, released yesterday, looks at 153 countries in 2006.

"Last year we witnessed a wave of fear which was directed not only at foreigners, but also our own people. This undermined not only our respect for others, but also showed a lack of respect for our fellow men, our freedom of speech and thus also the democracy of all Maltese people," Nikki Abela, public relations officer for Amnesty International Malta Group (AIMG) said.

An organisation known for fighting for the rights of migrants, Amnesty International's report criticises the policy of automatic detention and the state of detention centres.

"Automatic detention is a clear violation of international human rights law and standards, while the conditions in the centres were harsh and unsanitary, and as the report clearly states, were criticised by the EU," said Jean Pierre Gauci, coordinator of AIMG.

"A delegation of the (EU) Committee, visiting four detention centres, found that the Hal-Safi detention centre 'was like a cage', without sheets on the beds, broken and dirty mattresses, and no heating. Hygiene conditions were intolerable, with broken showers, no hot water, and toilets without doors and in a state of disrepair," the report states.

On a positive note, the report records the coming into force of the Domestic Violence Act last year and the subsequent creation of the Domestic Violence Commission.

On a global level, the report highlights how the politics of fear dominated last year, how this fear was manipulated to create divisions, stifle dissent and evade accountability. Certain governments fostered a climate of intolerance that fuelled conflict and human rights abuses, creating a rights vacuum which armed groups and corporations exploited for their own ends.

The report reveals a world ravaged by armed conflict, repression and discrimination, where women are at constant risk of violence, where entire communities are mired in poverty and social exclusion. The report also points to the crucial achievements of human rights activists around the world in countering these abuses and tackling impunity.

A copy of the report was sent to a number of public authorities.

For further information one may visit www.amnestymalta.org or send an e-mail to media@amnestymalta.org. An online version of the report will be available after the launch at http://thereport.amnesty.org