News

28 May 2026

Participants in the first 2026 meeting of the Network of National Preventive Mechanisms from Southeast Europe adopted a final declaration today calling for the detention of migrants to be used only as a last resort and in strict compliance with international human rights standards.

The document emphasises the need for effective and humane alternatives to detention, safeguards against arbitrary and prolonged deprivation of liberty, as well as ensuring access to legal assistance, interpretation, healthcare, and effective judicial oversight. Participants expressed serious concern regarding cases of prolonged detention in the absence of any real prospect of release or forced return.

“The protection of human dignity cannot be made conditional. The management of migration processes must be based on the rule of law and the guarantee of fundamental human rights. Prolonged detention without a realistic prospect of return creates a risk of disproportionate restriction of freedom and calls into question compliance with international standards,” stated the forum’s host, Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva.

Over the course of two days, she hosted the first meeting of the year of the Network of National Preventive Mechanisms of Southeast Europe, which took place at the Ombudsman Institution.

The forum was attended by representatives of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX), and the Council of Europe, as well as representatives of national preventive mechanisms and ombudsman institutions from Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Cyprus, Serbia, Croatia, and Montenegro.

The main topic of the discussions was “Protecting the Fundamental Rights of Detained Migrants: Challenges and Solutions. Alternatives to Detention and Forced Return to the Country of Origin.”

During the meeting, participants exchanged best practices and expert insights regarding the monitoring of detention facilities, housing conditions for migrants, and mechanisms to prevent inhuman and degrading treatment.

As part of the program, the delegates visited the Special Temporary Accommodation Center for Foreigners in Sofia, which is part of the Migration Directorate of the Ministry of the Interior, where they learned about the conditions at the center and discussed the practical challenges facing the institutions.

In conclusion, the participants reaffirmed their commitment to continuing to strengthen regional cooperation and to promoting migration management policies based on human rights and the rule of law. The focus of their next meeting this year will be on juvenile justice and children in conflict with the law.