IAPDC raises urgent concerns about the death of a man detained at Manston

The IAPDC has written to the Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP following the death of a man at Manston. This is the second letter the IAPDC has sent the Immigration Minister in recent weeks, with the first raising concerns about the “drastic deterioration in conditions” at the migrant processing centre in Kent.  

Unconfirmed media coverage reported that the man had developed sepsis and was taken to hospital where he died on 19 November 2022, one week after his arrival in the UK. In its letter, the IAPDC stresses the importance of establishing whether inadequate access to health care for individuals detained at the centre, many of whom beyond the permitted 24-hour period, was a contributing factor to his death. 

The IAPDC further states: 

Repeated warnings about the deterioration of conditions, including from the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration and HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, have called into serious question the Home Office’s ability to keep people safe and prevent the loss of life.

The Home Office has confirmed that Manston has now been cleared, raising the question of whether people have been moved to alternative accommodation because the centre is no longer deemed safe. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has today, 24 November 2022, confirmed that it will investigate the death. A full and timely investigation is necessary to learn lessons, address unsafe practises and prevent future fatalities of those placed under immigration detention. 

Read the letter here (opens in a separate window).