The government of Malta was ordered to pay €5,000 to a teenage asylum seeker for breaching his fundamental rights. Judge Giovanni Grixti ruled that Ayoubah Fona was unlawfully detained as a minor in poor conditions. Lawyer Neil Falzon from aditus foundation, together...
As 2025 draws to a close, we want to thank you for continuing to walk this journey with us, a journey alongside countless refugees and displaced families who long for safety, peace, and a place to belong. Unfortunately, just when the needs are greatest, devastating...
We are deeply concerned at Malta’s statement urging the Council of Europe to explore how to restrict the fundamental human rights of migrants. Packaged as national security measures, the proposals will result in a dramatic lowering of human rights standards in over...
JRS Malta is launching a Call for a Service Contract for the provision of research studies into the lived experiences of asylum seekers and the legal and policy framework regulating access to healthcare for different categories of migrants. This task is part of the...
JRS Malta is teaming up with Jesuits & Friends to launch the latest in a series of our fundraising efforts. This time, we are calling on all running enthusiasts to join the Jesuits & Friends Team at the LifeStar Malta Marathon and help raise funds for JRS in...
A new JRS Malta report uncovers shocking levels of exploitation and mistreatment among migrant workers in Malta, including withholding of wages, firing people without due cause, violations of health and safety regulations, and numerous instances of bullying,...
On Friday, 12th September, we invite you to gather with us at St Aloysius College, B’Kara, for our annual fundraising celebration, Under the Stars. Doors open at 7pm. This year’s event is all about celebrating community – with live music, delicious food, and a raffle...
We are here for you… At JRS we do our best to provide clients with a professional service focused on supporting clients’ needs. We do our utmost to help clients feel respected and supported, as we meet their needs. If however there has been a situation where you have...
JRS Malta is seeking to recruit a Maternity Leave Cover – Advocacy & Administration to work with forced migrants and asylum seekers. The selected candidate will be offered a 6-month definite term full-time contract. As this post is a maternity leave cover, renewal...
JRS Malta is seeking to recruit a LAWYER, to work with asylum seekers and immigrants in Malta. The post is a full-time post, however applications from individuals wishing to work part-time or reduced hours will also be considered. Individuals who cannot work at least...
aditus and JRS Malta welcome the recently published report by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT). The report confirms many of the concerns we have been raising for several years regarding the treatment of detained persons in Malta. The report validates our long-standing calls for urgent reform in Malta’s detention policies and practices, and we urge the authorities to act swiftly and transparently on its recommendations.
The CPT’s report, based on its visit to Malta in 2023, paints a troubling picture of the conditions in immigration detention centres. The Committee documented a pervasive lack of meaningful activity for detainees, inadequate access to medical care and legal assistance, and reports of mistreatment by detention staff.
The delegation also expressed concern over prolonged detention periods, particularly for vulnerable individuals, including minors, and highlighted deficiencies in safeguards against ill-treatment.
Particularly alarming were the findings concerning the use of force and means of restraint. The CPT noted several credible allegations of physical ill-treatment and underscored the need for independent oversight and accountability. It also criticised the lack of proper information being provided to detainees about their legal status and rights, and highlighted the psychological toll of prolonged detention in poor conditions, especially when communication with the outside world is limited.
At the same time, we welcome the positive developments noted in the report, particularly the improvements in the provision of healthcare services.
Neil Falzon, aditus Director
The CPT acknowledged efforts to strengthen medical staffing levels and to improve access to mental and physical healthcare for detained persons.
These changes, though still in need of further development, represent a step in the right direction and show that progress is possible when there is political will and a commitment to upholding basic human rights.
This report reaffirms the crucial role that civil society plays in ensuring the protection of detainees. Only regular presence, which allows for the building of relationships of trust, will allow allegations of ill-treatment to come to light and be addressed. Presence is also indispensable to allow for independent monitoring of detention centres.
We have repeatedly called for regular, unhindered access to these facilities, not only to provide legal and psychosocial support to detainees but also to ensure that the fundamental rights and dignity of every person in detention are respected.
Transparent oversight and access for NGOs are not optional — they are essential safeguards in any democratic society that claims to uphold human rights.
Katrine Camilleri, JRS Malta Director
We urge the Maltese authorities to implement the CPT’s recommendations without delay and to establish a framework that guarantees access for independent monitoring bodies, including NGOs.
Humane treatment, legal safeguards, and respect for human dignity must be at the core of Malta’s migration and detention policies.
The government of Malta was ordered to pay €5,000 to a teenage asylum seeker for breaching his fundamental rights. Judge Giovanni Grixti ruled that Ayoubah Fona was unlawfully detained as a minor in poor conditions. Lawyer Neil Falzon from aditus foundation, together...
As 2025 draws to a close, we want to thank you for continuing to walk this journey with us, a journey alongside countless refugees and displaced families who long for safety, peace, and a place to belong. Unfortunately, just when the needs are greatest, devastating...
We are deeply concerned at Malta’s statement urging the Council of Europe to explore how to restrict the fundamental human rights of migrants. Packaged as national security measures, the proposals will result in a dramatic lowering of human rights standards in over...
JRS Malta is launching a Call for a Service Contract for the provision of research studies into the lived experiences of asylum seekers and the legal and policy framework regulating access to healthcare for different categories of migrants. This task is part of the...
JRS Malta is teaming up with Jesuits & Friends to launch the latest in a series of our fundraising efforts. This time, we are calling on all running enthusiasts to join the Jesuits & Friends Team at the LifeStar Malta Marathon and help raise funds for JRS in...
A new JRS Malta report uncovers shocking levels of exploitation and mistreatment among migrant workers in Malta, including withholding of wages, firing people without due cause, violations of health and safety regulations, and numerous instances of bullying,...
On Friday, 12th September, we invite you to gather with us at St Aloysius College, B’Kara, for our annual fundraising celebration, Under the Stars. Doors open at 7pm. This year’s event is all about celebrating community – with live music, delicious food, and a raffle...
We are here for you… At JRS we do our best to provide clients with a professional service focused on supporting clients’ needs. We do our utmost to help clients feel respected and supported, as we meet their needs. If however there has been a situation where you have...
JRS Malta is seeking to recruit a Maternity Leave Cover – Advocacy & Administration to work with forced migrants and asylum seekers. The selected candidate will be offered a 6-month definite term full-time contract. As this post is a maternity leave cover, renewal...
JRS Malta is seeking to recruit a LAWYER, to work with asylum seekers and immigrants in Malta. The post is a full-time post, however applications from individuals wishing to work part-time or reduced hours will also be considered. Individuals who cannot work at least...
The government of Malta was ordered to pay €5,000 to a teenage asylum seeker for breaching his fundamental rights. Judge Giovanni Grixti ruled that Ayoubah Fona was unlawfully detained as a minor in...
As 2025 draws to a close, we want to thank you for continuing to walk this journey with us, a journey alongside countless refugees and displaced families who long for safety, peace, and a place to...
