Liberty is the rule, detention is the exception: UN Special Rapporteur

When migrants are detained in irregular situations, liberty is the rule and detention the exception, says the annual report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants.

François Crépeau, in his report to the Human Rights Council, said immigration detention should never be mandatory or automatic, but a measure of last resort, only permissible for the shortest period of time.

Mr. Crepeau shares a range of successful non-custodial alternatives to detention, which are also considerably less expensive that detention measures.

However, he warned, the success of those alternatives depends on the adoption of a human rights approach.

All persons subject to non-custodial measures, said the Special Rapporteur, should receive clear and concise information about their rights and duties in relation to the measures in place, and should be treated with dignity and respect for their human rights.