Malaysia pressed to probe deaths of 150 foreigners in detention

Seven kids and 25 ladies have been among the many foreigners who died in detention final yr, minister says.

A Malaysian immigration truck carrying Myanmar refugees who're to be deported is seen on this picture from February, 2021 [File: Lim Huey Teng/Reuters]

Human rights teams have urged Malaysia to analyze situations at migrant detention centres after the federal government stated 150 foreigners, together with seven kids, died on the services final yr.

In a written reply this week to a query in parliament, Malaysia’s Residence Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail stated seven kids and 25 ladies have been amongst those that died in detention final yr.

He didn't disclose the reason for deaths or the variety of foreigners held in detention. Final July, Malaysia stated there have been 17,703 foreigners in its detention services.

“The truth that so many foreigners, together with kids, die in immigration custody is a scathing indictment of Malaysia’s failure to deal with these they're holding as human beings who've rights,” stated Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

Amnesty Worldwide known as on the federal government to take motion to forestall folks’s loss of life in detention.

“150 deaths in a single yr. Holistic, clear investigations now,” Amnesty wrote in a collection of tweets on Wednesday.

“The findings have to be made public. Motion have to be pressing and complete. Cures have to be discovered, and justice realised for the households of those that died. The federal government should act Now,” Amnesty wrote.

1/ Individuals are dying in immigration detention centres.
150 deaths below immigration custody in 12 months.
No additional data shared on causes of loss of life, investigations, redress or prevention of future deaths.
Individuals are dying – the place is the motion?@anwaribrahim@saifnasutionpic.twitter.com/BDQSHldgfA

— Amnesty Worldwide Malaysia (@AmnestyMy) February 22, 2023

In keeping with activists and interviews with former detainees by Reuters information company, Malaysia’s detention centres are crowded and unhygienic, and detainees have insufficient entry to meals, water and healthcare.

Malaysia routinely detains foreigners who're with out legitimate permits, permitting them to stay within the nation, together with asylum seekers. The nation can be house to tens of millions of undocumented migrants and greater than 100,000 Rohingya refugees.

Undocumented foreigners are sometimes detained for lengthy intervals as they await deportation, whereas refugees and asylum seekers who don't wish to return house are held indefinitely.

Malaysia doesn't recognise refugees and offers few rights to these given safety by the United Nations Excessive Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The UNHCR has been denied entry to detention centres since August 2019, hampering efforts to launch and resettle asylum seekers, Reuters reported.

Malaysia’s house ministry and immigration division, which runs the detention centres, didn't reply to requests for remark from Reuters.