The government has published the second report on a visit to the immigrants' detention centres in 2005 by the Prevention from Torture Committee (CPT) of the Council of Europe, as well as its response and update reports that highlighted the significant changes and progress carried out since then.

The CPT report, the Department of Information said, served as a basis on which to carry out changes and improvements in the detention system.

The report had called for an improved organisation of medical care.

The government has spent €84,000 (Lm36,000) on the setting up of a medical service, apart from what was already being provided by its health service. Through the new service, 400 patients could be examined in a week, it said.

The CPT had also called for an overall improvement in detention conditions.

Although the continuous arrivals of immigrants has disrupted works, since 2005, a new detention centre for 224 immigrants was built, costing over €300,000 (Lm128,700).

Moreover, no migrants were being kept at the police headquarters in Floriana, while various buildings in the detention centres have been improved at a cost of €600,000 (Lm257,400).

The provision of meals has been outsourced, the DOI said. Since the report was drawn up, 100 casual detention officers were employed to assist the soldiers and the police in keeping order at the centres.

The government, on a recommendation in the report, has published a document that lists the rights of the immigrants in English, Arabic and French.

However, it has made it clear that the border countries of Europe in the Mediterranean could not handle the problem alone, and until the situation continued, the government would stick to its detention policy as regards those who entered the island illegally.

It has also continued to insist that it has no obligation to accept immigrants saved in the search-and-rescue areas of other countries.

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