‘“I Ask That They Treat Asylum Seekers Like Human Beings” – Human Rights Violations in Swiss Federal Asylum Centres’, 4 May 2021

This briefing contains Amnesty International’s findings from an investigation into violations of asylum seekers’ human rights in Swiss federal asylum centres. It is based on interviews with 32 people including victims, current and ex-security guards, legal representatives, social care workers and social education officers, as well as medical records, official criminal complaints and other pertinent documentary information.

This briefing raises the alarm about situations in federal asylum centres and highlights measures that the State needs to take in order to comply with its international legal obligations to prevent torture and other illtreatment and protect the human rights of people, including children, residing in the federal asylum centres.

At the end of the briefing, Amnesty International concludes by making several key and urgent recommendations regarding the Swiss government’s obligations under international law, particularly around preventing the abuse of people in the centres through improved, more robust and pro-active safeguarding and monitoring, the strengthening and reform of whistle blowing systems to make sure they are effective, adequate and secure for people working in the centres and victims alike, as well as increased accountability for perpetrators of abuses, tackling and dismantling pre-existing negative and harmful stereotypes and racist views of all people, but particularly those from North Africa, as well as ending the practice of housing unaccompanied children seeking asylum in these centres...