National law only provides basic rules for detention centres. As a result, conditions differ very much throughout the country. Health care in detention is in general provided according to the provisions of the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act, which foresees emergency care only (see Health care).[1] The Federal States are responsible for the organisation of these detention facilities. Despite the lack of federal-level rules on detention conditions, the 2022 ruling of the CJEU on the use of prisons for detention purposes stated that conditions in detention facilities must not be prison-like if they are to qualify as specialised detention facilities in the sense of the EU Return Directive. According to the lawyer filing the original case, this puts in question some of the existing specialised detention facilities such as Glückstadt in Schlewsig-Holstein or Hof in Bavaria that are surrounded by high walls and barbed wire.[2] In addition, in many detention facilities detainees are not granted substantially more freedom of movement than in regular prisons,[3] and many facilities resort to the practice of detention in heightened security cells and under constant supervision which has been widely criticised by NGOs.[4] In Bavaria, the appeals court of Coburg found on 24 November 2022 that conditions in the detention centre in Eichstätt are not in line with the CJEU’s ruling (see below). In December 2023, the Federal Supreme Court ruled that when ordering detention, courts need to examine the detention conditions’ conformity with EU law, noting that common rules in the detention centre of Hof (Bavaria) such as the ban to wear own clothes or the severe restrictions on visits go beyond what is strictly necessary to enforce removal.[5]
The competent authorities for the management of the centres are the prison authorities under the Ministry of Justice or the (regional) police authorities. Therefore, members of staff are usually either prison staff or police officers or employees of the administrative part of the police or the prison services. By way of exception, the Munich Airport detention centre opened first in September 2018 is directly managed by the newly funded Bavarian State Office for Asylum and Returns (Bayerisches Landesamt für Asyl und Rückführungen). No centre is managed by external companies but, in some cases e.g., Munich Airport, the authorities cooperate with private security companies to take over certain tasks.
As facilities vary greatly in terms of size and equipment, it is not possible to describe the overall conditions in the detention centres. The paragraphs below describe the situation of a few institutions only and do not claim to provide a comprehensive overview of the detention conditions in Germany. An overview of facilities and a collection of reports in German on detention conditions can also be found at ‘100 Jahre Abschiebehaft‘ (100 years of custody pending removal), a website run by activists campaigning for the general abolishment of detention pending removal. Information on the impact of the Covid-29 pandemic on conditions in detention centres can be found in the 2021 Update to the AIDA Country Report for Germany.[6]
Darmstadt-Eberstadt, Hesse: The facility was opened at the beginning of 2018. A new, enlarged facility was opened in Darmstadt-Eberstadt in January 2021. According to the state government, the reception standards in the new facility are ‘considerably higher’ than in the previous facility.[7] The State law of 2017 sets out some basic principles for the facility.[8] These include the following: (a) Detainees are allowed to move freely within the facility during the day and shall have access to open-air spaces. Restrictions of movement shall be possible only to uphold security and order in the facility; (b) The facility shall make all possible efforts to provide rooms and opportunities for spare time activities and also for work (which should be remunerated). According to a local activist and visitors’ group, however, in 2023 detainees were only allowed one hour of yard exercise per day, cells are closed from 8 pm onwards and no possibilities for work exist. [9] Local activists say the yard is comparable to a cage, surrounded by barbed wire and exposed to the view of other parts of the building and the prison attached to the detention facility, making it an unpleasant space especially for women and families.[10] There are two social workers at the facility, one of which is employed by the police who is also in charge of the detention facility.[11] One external person employed by the Diakonie provides counselling but does not have a stable presence in the facility.[12] Detainees are allowed to use their mobile phones but without the camera function, and they have to buy mobile subscriptions at their own costs.[13] They receive € 20 of ‘pocket money’ per week with which they can buy products from a pre-defined shopping list, however delivery is only every two weeks, which is criticised by local activists as the often short stays in detention make it impossible for some detainees to actually make use of this, and there is no possibility of handing out the pocket money.[14] Health care in detention is described by local activists as insufficient, especially for detainees with serious conditions as there is no possibility for continuous treatment.[15] Furthermore, the confidentiality of conversations with healthcare professionals is not guaranteed.[16]
Büren, North Rhine-Westphalia:
Detention conditions in Büren are governed by the Federal State’s law on the enforcement of detention pending removal.[17] The Refugee Council of North Rhine-Westphalia has highlighted that it includes restrictions on freedom of movement within the facility and on the use of internet, TV and mobile phones that are very similar to the restrictions used in the regular prison system.[18] The support group ‘Hilfe für Menschen in Abschiebehaft Büren’ shares this view[19] and further criticises that complaint mechanisms and legal measures to challenge the security measures are insufficient and even worse compared to the remedies available to regular prisoners.[20] They also demand that psychological and social assistance be truly independent and confidential, as it often leads to isolation of detainees when suicidal thoughts are expressed (see below).[21]
Detention conditions at the Büren facility are described as follows by Frank Gockel, a local activist and member of the support group ‘Hilfe für Menschen in Abschiebehaft Büren’ which offers advice for detainees on a weekly basis:[22]
- Upon arrival detainees have to undress completely to be checked (mouth, ears, nose, anus). This check can be carried out by force if the person refuses to undress. Male detainees report that female guards are sometimes present during the undressing.
- Most cells are equipped with a table, bed, television, locker, chair, toilet and a sink.
- Cells are open for at least eight hours a day, the courtyard is accessible for one or two hours a day (even though the law states that it should be accessible for at least 8 hours per day)[23]. Leisure activities include table tennis, billiard, a gym, a library and a computer room with access to selected websites. There is a common kitchen for four to five people but its use is limited by the fact that detainees have to be able to pay for food to prepare by themselves.
- People of the same nationality are sometimes detained in different corridors to ‘avoid conflict’ leading to even more isolation especially in the case of people speaking less frequent languages.
- Visits can take place between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. according to the law, but the facility is located far out of town and there is no connection to public transport (nearest bus stop is 8 km away; see also Access to detention facilities).
- Various sanctions can be imposed against persons who act in breach of the house rules. This usually means that persons remain locked in their cells for the most part of the day and therefore have no contact to other detainees. In more serious cases, detainees may be banned from all leisure activities and they may even be placed under 24-hour surveillance. This is ordered more often than necessary in the view of the support group, and often as a response to behaviour showing psychological distress.
- For persons who pose a risk to themselves or to others, specially secured cells are available, in which persons may be tied to a bed frame. The latter measure requires a court order, according to the regional government and it has not been applied in many cases (below 10 cases since 2015, according to the government, more than 10 cases according to the interviewee). Persons detained in specialised cells are under constant supervision, and detainees have reported to be detained in them without clothes.[24]
According to the support group, one social assistant and one psychologist work in the detention facility. When talking to detainees, both have to take notes that are available to the facility staff and can lead to the ordering of isolation measures in cases of psychological distress, instead of adequate psychological or psychiatric treatment.[25] One Arabic-speaking medical doctor is present in the facility half-time. The support group reports that treatment by a specialised doctor or in hospital is often difficult to obtain given the need for accompanying security personnel and the reluctance of specialised doctors to offer consultations. If detainees have an addiction, they have to withdraw before departure, which puts additional intense physical and psychological stress on detainees especially if the detention period is short.[26] According to the support group, most of the staff working in the facility do not have any specialised training in dealing with detainees.
The detention centre has an advisory board where representatives of political parties, welfare associations, religious organisations, the Refugee Council and the support group as well as the city of Büren are present. However, the advisory board is described as ineffective by the local support group: most of the members do not work in or enter the facility on a regular basis; and while detainees can send complaints to the board, these must be sent in German and via e-mail, whereas detainees in isolation have no access to a computer and many do not have e-mail adresses. If a complaint is sent to the board, it usually gets forwarded to the centre’s complaint officer.
Over the course of 2023, there were three incidents where detainees allegedly set fire to their cells, possibly as part of suicide attempts. One detainee was found dead in his cell in September. The cause of death was not known as of March 2024.[27] The support group ‘Hilfe für Menschen in Abschiebehaft Büren’ demanded more transparency from authorities on suicide attempts and suicides in detention and put them into the context of high psychological pressure induced by detention in isolation and constant supervision, e. g. through “life controls” where detainees are checked on every 15 minutes, making rest and deep sleep impossible.[28]
Pforzheim, Baden-Württemberg: According to the Federal State government, detainees in Pforzheim can move around freely within the facilities’ accommodation and ‘leisure’ areas and are allowed to use mobile phones.[29] Two social workers are present in the facility, however de-facto only one was present over the latter half of 2023, according to the NGO Caritas, which provides external support to detainees through visits (see Access to detention facilities).[30] The Refugee Council of Baden-Württemberg highlighted in 2019 that medical care had not always been guaranteed. For example, a priest had organised an urgent appointment at an ophthalmologist for a detainee, but the person concerned had not been allowed to leave the facility for this appointment.[31] According to Caritas, information on the availability of medical care cannot be verified as NGOs and support groups do not have contact to medical professionals working with detainees.[32] While the State government that took office in 2021 pledged some improvements, they have only partially been adopted so far. By way of example, a “round table” was set up in 2023 to exchange information between authorities in charge of detention and civil society. However, on the side of the civil society, no staff member who works in the detention facility is involved in this discussion format, nor is the Refugee Council part of it. [33] The promise to set up and make available separate premises for full-time and voluntary staff and pastoral care has been only partially implemented thus far, according to Caritas: such a room is available in principle, but not yet fully operational as of January 2024 due to questions of financing. When ready, the room will be used not only for independent counselling but also for BAMF interviews in case of asylum requests filed during detention and for pastoral care. [34] No psychological support is available in the facility, Furthermore, as in many other detention facilities in Germany, special rooms for detention with heightened security measures exist and detainees are placed there “too often”, e.g., if there is an assumed risk of suicide attempts before the planed removal.[35]
Hof, Bavaria: The detention centre in Hof opened on 26 October 2021 and has a capacity of 150 places. It is administrated by the prison in Hof but separated from it ‘through structural and organisational measures’.[36] 16 of the 150 places are foreseen for female detainees, and 4 places are suitable for persons with disabilities, according to the Ministry of Justice. As of October 2022, 54 law enforcement officials and 20 social workers, psychologists, chaplains, and medical staff worked at the facility.[37] According to the Ministry of justice, detainees have access to a range of leisure facilities including sports, and each room has a TV with access to international channels. Leisure activities are offered by the social services present in the facilities. According to press reports, detainees can be outside their rooms between 9 am and 7 pm.[38]
Eichstätt, Bavaria: As of September 2023, the detention facility employs a total of 52 staff members, four of which are social workers and two psychologists.[39] Following a fact-finding mission conducted in April 2019, ECRE made the following observations on the conditions at the Eichstätt facility: The pre-removal detention centre (Einrichtung für Abschiebungschaft) of Eichstätt was converted from a prison, open since 1900, to a dedicated facility in 2016. Male and female quarters are separate. The female quarters are supervised by female security guards only. The living units are divided into rooms, including single rooms and rooms with a number of beds. There are common showers, in which detainees also do their own laundry. People are generally free to move within the facility, except during lunch and dinner. During lunch (starting 11:15 and until 13:00) and dinner, the men are locked in their rooms (a head count also takes place during dinner). Women are not locked in their rooms.
Reports about self-harm are frequent, usually to prevent removal. Tensions were frequent but have reduced since the opening of additional detention facilities in Bavaria in 2018. Disciplinary measures can be taken if a person violates rules e.g., withdrawal of shopping rights, access to television etc. in accordance with prison rules. Detainees can also be isolated for a certain period of time, for their own safety. However, where isolation is used, it is for very short periods of time.[40]
In a report published in May 2019, the European Committe for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) summarised detention conditions at Eichstätt as follows (based on a visit to the facility in August 2018):
‘While material conditions at the facility in Eichstätt were generally very good in terms of state of repair, living space, access to natural light, ventilation and equipment, the environment did not take into account the specific situation of immigration detainees, with a number of restrictions that appeared unnecessary.[…].
Moreover, due to the applicable legislation on the execution of prison sentences, the regime for immigration detainees held at the establishment was – to all intents and purposes – comparable to that of sentenced prisoners. The only significant differences concerned the fact that the detainees were not obliged to work and that they could usually have more contact with the outside world and spend more time outside their cells. However, male detainees – in contrast to female detainees – did not benefit from an open-door regime (indoors); […].’[41]
According to the CPT‘s report, common rooms with sports equipment or television were only accessible for a maximum of two and a half hours per day, while the outdoor exercise yard could only be accessed in the afternoon. While detainees were allowed to make phone-calls and were provided wih free-of-charge phone cards for that purpose, they did not have access to the internet. Persons who behaved violently or who had either attempted or threatened to commit suicide can be referred to security cells at the Eichstätt facility. The facility‘s director stated that persons were not referred to these cells for disciplinary reasons, but only if the pose a risk to themselves or to others. The CPT criticised that conditions in the security cells were ‘akin to solitary confinement’, since people were locked up for 24 hours a day without access to outdoor exercise and they often were not allowed to make phone calls or receive visits.[42] On 24 November 2022, the court of appeal of Coburg issued a ruling according to which a detention order was unlawful based on the detention conditions in Eichstätt, which are considered too similar to prisons so that the detention centre does not meet the standards of a “specialised detention facility” as defined by the CJEU in its decision of 10 March 2022 (see Place of detention).[43] Following the decisions, the Green opposition demanded to end detention in Eichstätt, while the Federal State government claims that several changes have been implemented in response to the ruling, such as an extension of visiting times and allowing detainees to wear their own clothes, and that the conditions do meet the standards of the EU Return Directive as set out in the CJEU’s ruling.[44]
Glückstadt, Schleswig-Holstein: The detention facility in Glückstadt was opened on 16 August 2021. At the start, capacity was limited to 12 people, and this was gradually increased to the maximum capacity of 60 places. As of January 2024, media reported that the facility had a capacity of 42 places.[45] The State government describes the facility as ‘setting new standards for humane enforcement’, with rooms with private toilets, mobile phones without camera provided by the facility and pocket money for detainees. While being of a comparatively high standards when it comes to detention conditions, the facility is surrounded by high walls and barbed wire like facilities in other Federal States. Furthermore, while mobile phones are provided, they do not allow communication via internet-based messengers, which means most communication with family, friends or supporters is only possible via the three shared computers, making private communication difficult.[46] As of January 2024, detainees are no longer allowed to use their own smartphones, according to a local support group.[47] The facility employed six full-time medical staff, including a psychologist as of January 2023. The almost exclusive use of internal medical personnel was seen critically by local support groups, who argue that this increases the tendency to deal with all issues ‘internally’ decreasing the availability of information on the quality of medical and psychological support provided in the facility. In addition, psychologists cannot issue medical reports which might give rise to a removal ban based on the applicant’s condition (e.g., in case of post-traumatic stress disorder), and the presence of doctors and a psychologist in the detention centre makes it more difficult to obtain outside medical treatment and reports.[48] According to the same group, while doctors from a clinic in nearby Itzehoe were regularly visiting the detention facility in 2022, they are no longer allowed access since November 2022.[49] Support groups report that treatment is inadequate in that it is mostly limited to pharmaceutical care and that patients are not taken seriously.[50] In early January 2024, media and support groups reported a suicide attempt, where a detainee had set fire to the mattress in his cell. Even though the psychiatrist who treated the detainee in the hospital after the attempt recommended a transfer to a psychiatric hospital, detention was maintained in a ‘heightened security’ cell and a deportation attempt a few days later failed due to resistance from the detainee. The facility’s administration denies that the detainee’s behaviour amounted to attempted suicide and argues that the maintenance of detention including in a heightened security under constant surveillance is justified.[51]
As of January 2024, no independent counselling on social matters is available after the protestant welfare association Diakonie could not renew their contract with the facility due to a lack of personnel.[52] Independent legal advice is provided by the Refugee Council of Schleswig-Holstein as well as a student-led initiative of three Law Clinics based in Hamburg and Kiel.[53]
[1] PRO ASYL, ‘Schutzlos hinter Gittern. Abschiebungshaft in Deutschland’, June 2013, available in German at: https://bit.ly/3JCqxOv, 24.
[2] PRO ASYL, ‘Abschiebehaft: Der EuGH schiebt Deutschland einen Riegel vor’, 16 March 2022, available in German at: https://bit.ly/3wIGz5S.
[3] Community for all, 4 Jahre Abschiebeknast Hessen, July 2023, available in German at: https://bit.ly/3RLsmxS, 50.
[4] Lena Böllinger, Werden in Abschiebehaftanstalten Menschenrechte verletzt? Deutschlandfunk Kultur, available in German at: https://bit.ly/49dyrur, Report to the German Government on the visit to Germany carried out by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) from 13 to 15 August 2018, 9 May 2019, available at: https://bit.ly/2JJiN0z, 27.
[5] Federal Supreme Court, Decision XIII ZB 45/22, 5 December 2023, available in German at: https://bit.ly/4abZoPF.
[6] AIDA, Country Report Germany – Update on the year 2021, April 2022, available at: https://bit.ly/3XnN7RS, 85.
[7] Frankfurter Rundschau, ‘Hessen vervierfacht Haftplätze in Abschiebegefängnis in Darmstadt’, 30 January 2021, available in German at: https://bit.ly/3ot0ot1.
[8] Official Gazette for the Federal State of Hesse, Gesetz über den Vollzug ausländerrechtlicher Freiheitsentziehungsmaßnahmen(VaFG), 18 December 2017, available at: https://bit.ly/2Cael74.
[9] Community for all, 4 Jahre Abschiebeknast Hessen, July 2023, available in German at: https://bit.ly/3RLsmxS, 49-58.
[10] Information provided by the local activist and assistance group ‘Support PiA – Hilfe für Personen in Abschiebehaft’, 13 February 2023.
[11] Community for all, 4 Jahre Abschiebeknast Hessen, July 2023, available in German at: https://bit.ly/3RLsmxS, 64.
[12] Community for all, 4 Jahre Abschiebeknast Hessen, July 2023, available in German at: https://bit.ly/3RLsmxS, 63-64.
[13] Section 14, Gesetz über den Vollzug ausländerrechtlicher Freiheitsentziehungsmaßnahmen(VaFG), 18 December 2017, available at: https://bit.ly/2Cael74, see also Community for all, 4 Jahre Abschiebeknast Hessen, July 2023, available in German at: https://bit.ly/3RLsmxS, 55-56.
[14] Community for all, 4 Jahre Abschiebeknast Hessen, July 2023, available in German at: https://bit.ly/3RLsmxS, 51-52.
[15] Information provided by the local activist and assistance group ‘Support PiA – Hilfe für Personen in Abschiebehaft’, 13 February 2023.
[16] Community for all, 4 Jahre Abschiebeknast Hessen, July 2023, available in German at: https://bit.ly/3RLsmxS, 59-60.
[17] Ministry of the Interior North Rhine Westphalia, Gesetz über den Vollzug der Abschiebungshaft in Nordrhein-Westfalen, version of 5 March 2024, available in German at: https://bit.ly/3QZ55b0.
[18] Flüchtlingsrat Nordrhein-Westfalen, Stellungnahme: Referentenentwurf Gesetz zur Änderung des Abschiebungshaftvollzugsgesetzes Nordrhein-Westfalen, 9 August 2018, available in German at: https://bit.ly/2XxduGq.
[19] Hilfe für Menschen in Abschiebehaft Büren, 30 Jahre Abschiebehaft Büren, 19 January 2024, available in German at: https://bit.ly/3vdXC1j.
[20] Hilfe für Menschen in Abschiebehaft Büren, Stellungnahme zur Anhörung zum Abschiebungshaftvollzugsgesetz, 7 November 2018, available in German at: https://bit.ly/2UmjGiG. Information obtained from the support group‘ Hilfe für Menschen in Abschiebehaft Büren‘ in March 2024.
[21] Hilfe für Menschen in Abschiebehaft Büren, Verein fordert mehr Transparenz zur Abschiebehaft, 23 February 2024, available in. Germant at: https://bit.ly/3TnMkj9.
[22] ze.tt, Eingesperrt ohne Straftat: So sind die Bedingungen in einem Abschiebegefängnis, 14 December 2019, available in German at: https://bit.ly/2T0KZ3g and Information obtained from the support group ‘Hilfe für Menschen in Abschiebehaft Büren‘ in March 2024.
[23] Ministry of the Interior North Rhine Westphalia, Gesetz über den Vollzug der Abschiebungshaft in Nordrhein-Westfalen, version of 5 March 2024, available in German at: https://bit.ly/3QZ55b0.
[24] Information obtained from the support group‘ Hilfe für Menschen in Abschiebehaft Büren‘ in March 2024.
[25] Information obtained from the support group‘ Hilfe für Menschen in Abschiebehaft Büren‘ in March 2024.
[26] Information obtained from the support group‘ Hilfe für Menschen in Abschiebehaft Büren‘ in March 2024.
[27] Hilfe für Menschen in Abschiebehaft Büren, Verein fordert mehr Transparenz zur Abschiebehaft, 23 February 2024, available in. German at: https://bit.ly/3TnMkj9.
[28] Hilfe für Menschen in Abschiebehaft Büren, Brand in der Abschiebehaft, 13 November 2023, available in German at: https://bit.ly/43mL2tp.
[29] State Ministry Baden-Württemberg, Lorek zu Besuch in Abschiebungshafteinrichtung Pforzheim, 22 July 2022, available in German at: https://bit.ly/4byGSCd.
[30] Information provided by by the Caritasverband Karlsruhe e. V. who offers counselling in the detention centre together with the Diakonie Rastatt (see http://bit.ly/404RnXC for more information).
[31] Flüchtlingsrat Baden-Würtemberg, Misstände in der Abschiebehaft werden geleugnet, Stellungnahme des Flüchtlingsrats Baden-Württemberg zur Berichterstattung über die Abschiebehaft Pforzheim, 17 May 2019, available in German at: https://bit.ly/3dVHgfF.
[32] Information provided by by the Caritasverband Karlsruhe e. V. who offers counselling in the detention centre together with the Diakonie Rastatt (see http://bit.ly/404RnXC for more information).
[33] Information provided by by the Caritasverband Karlsruhe e. V. who offers counselling in the detention centre together with the Diakonie Rastatt (see http://bit.ly/404RnXC for more information).
[34] Information provided by the Caritasverband Karlsruhe e. V., an organisation that offers counselling in the detention centre together with the Diakonie Rastatt (see http://bit.ly/404RnXC for more information).
[35] Information provided by the Caritasverband Karlsruhe e. V., an organisation that offers counselling in the detention centre together with the Diakonie Rastatt (see http://bit.ly/404RnXC for more information).
[36] Bavarian Ministry of Justice, Einrichtung für Abschiebungshaft Hof, available in German at: https://bit.ly/3Dee826.
[37] BR24, “Panische Angst vor Rückführung”: Ein Jahr Abschiebehaft in Hof, 26 October 2022, no longer available online as of January 2024.
[38] BR24, “Panische Angst vor Rückführung”: Ein Jahr Abschiebehaft in Hof, 26 October 2022, no longer available online as of January 2024.
[39] Bavarian Ministry of Justice, Justizvollzugsanstalt Eichstätt – Einrichtung für Abschiebungshaft, no longer available online as of January 2024.
[40] ECRE, The AnkER centres Implications for asylum procedures, reception and return, April 2019, available at: https://bit.ly/2W7dICZ.
[41] Report to the German Government on the visit to Germany carried out by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) from 13 to 15 August 2018, 9 May 2019, available at: https://bit.ly/2JJiN0z, 27.
[42] Ibid. 28 and 31.
[43] Landgericht Coburg, Decision of 24 November 2022, 41 T 25/21, available in German at: https://bit.ly/40dt3nc.
[44] BR24, Grüne halten Abschiebehaft in Eichstätt für rechtswidrig, 8 December 2022, available in German at: http://bit.ly/3HvBHpH.
[45] NDR, Abschiebehaft Glückstadt: Bewohner haben keine Sozialberatung, 15 January 2024, available in German at: https://bit.ly/42FsBzN.
[46] Information provided by the legal advice and support group Abschiebehaftberatung Nord in April 2022, see https://abschiebehaftberatung-nord.de/.
[47] Information provided by the legal advice and support group Abschiebehaftberatung Nord. in January 2023, see https://abschiebehaftberatung-nord.de/.
[48] Information provided by the legal advice and support group Abschiebehaftberatung Nord. in January 2023, see https://abschiebehaftberatung-nord.de/.
[49] Information provided by the legal advice and support group Abschiebehaftberatung Nord. in January 2023, see https://abschiebehaftberatung-nord.de/.
[50] Taz.de, Abschiebehaft in Schleswig-Holstein: Allein hinterm Stacheldraht, 9 January 2024, available in German at: https://bit.ly/3uDEFok.
[51] Taz.de, Brand in Abschiebehaft Glückstadt: Abschieben um jeden Preis, 30 January 2024, availabe in German at: https://bit.ly/42Dz2TI.
[52] NDR, Abschiebehaft Glückstadt: Bewohner haben keine Sozialberatung, 15 January 2024, available in German at: https://bit.ly/42FsBzN.
[53] Information provided by the legal advice and support group Abschiebehaftberatung Nord in April 2022, see https://abschiebehaftberatung-nord.de/.