Inside Manston: A Legacy of Human Rights Failures and the Struggle for Justice

Background: The Manston Crisis

The Manston Asylum Processing Centre, located in Kent, opened in February 2022 as a processing centre for asylum seekers crossing the English Channel. It was intended as a short-term holding facility and had the capacity to hold 1,600 people. However, by the summer of the same year, the facility became overwhelmed, taking in over 4,000 people. This surge in numbers highlighted critical failings in planning and infrastructure that led to poor conditions for those detained there.

The independent inquiry into the events at Manston will be chaired by Sophie Cartwright KC, a senior barrister with experience in handling inquiries and inquests. The inquiry follows a commitment made in March 2024 by the then-Conservative government, with Home Secretary James Cleverly initially agreeing to hold a statutory inquiry. However, the incoming Labour government has opted for a non-statutory inquiry under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), focusing on the treatment of detainees.

By November 2022, the centre had been cleared, but its legacy remains under scrutiny. A High Court ruling in December 2022 granted former detainees the right to seek a judicial review over the failure of the Home Office to launch an inquiry at that time.

Immigrant and Asylum Seeker Vilification: Government Rhetoric and Policy

The UK's approach to immigration and asylum has been marked by increasingly stringent policies and rhetoric. In November 2022, Home Secretary Suella Braverman referred to the rising number of asylum seekers arriving by small boats as an "invasion," characterising them as "illegal" migrants and criminals. This language has been criticised by experts and human rights advocates, who argue that it misrepresents asylum seekers and fosters a hostile environment.

A report by the Runnymede Trust revealed that the term "illegal" has been one of the most frequently associated words with migrants in UK parliamentary debates over the past 25 years. This consistent framing contributes to the perception of migration as inherently unlawful.

Recently, over 130 refugee and human rights organisations called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to temper anti-migrant rhetoric. This appeal came after Starmer's comments at the Organised Immigration Crime Summit, where he highlighted the strain of border insecurity on public services and referred to it as a "fairness issue." The groups warned that such language could incite division and fuel anti-migrant sentiment.

The Manston Dilemma: A Catalogue of Failures

The conditions at Manston quickly deteriorated from it’s opening, with overcrowding and inadequate facilities leading to health crises. There were widespread outbreaks of infectious diseases, including diphtheria and scabies. Tragically, Hussein Haseeb Ahmed, a 31-year-old man from Iraq, died after contracting diphtheria while detained at the centre. The UK Health Security Agency confirmed that 50 cases of diphtheria were reported in 2022, with 49 of them linked to asylum seekers at Manston during the height of the crisis.

The situation was made worse by the fact that detainees were treated as numbers, identified only by wristbands rather than names. Charlie Taylor, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, reported that detainees were being held for far too long under unsuitable conditions. People were forced to sleep on mats between rows of seats or on wooden benches. The length of detention had spiralled since Taylor’s June 2022 report, which noted that some detainees had been held for more than 70 hours—well beyond the legal limit of 24 hours for short-term holding. Some detainees were reportedly held for up to a month.

The failures at the Manston Asylum Centre were not only systemic but also deeply personal for many of the individuals detained there, particularly vulnerable asylum seekers. Among the most harrowing stories emerging from Manston is that of a pregnant Syrian woman who was detained at the centre and tragically suffered a miscarriage after being denied immediate medical attention. In the midst of overcrowding and disease outbreaks, many detainees who were sick, injured, or suffering from trauma were not given the appropriate care. For those with mental health conditions or histories of torture, the detention process itself worsened their already fragile well-being.

Another deeply distressing case is that of a Sudanese teenager, who, according to reports, was a victim of both trafficking and torture. This young individual, along with others in similar situations, was held for an extended period under conditions that compounded the trauma they had already suffered. The teenager was placed in overcrowded facilities and subjected to prolonged detention without adequate support or care. Despite the legal protections afforded to vulnerable individuals, such as children and trafficking victims, the teenager was not given the appropriate treatment or accommodation.

These cases underscore the failures of the Home Office and its contractors to properly manage and safeguard vulnerable detainees. Instead of being treated with the dignity and respect they deserve, asylum seekers found themselves subjected to a system that seemed indifferent to their suffering.

In addition to these reports, a deeply offensive incident occurred at Manston in 2025, when a racist message was broadcast over the radios used by Home Office contractors. The message, which included a racial slur and told individuals to "go back to where you came from," was condemned as both racist and unprofessional. The Home Office responded by fast-tracking an upgrade to the radio system to ensure messages could be traced in the future.

Council of Europe’s Anti-Torture Committee: Key Recommendations

During the period of mass arrivals at Manston in late 2022, the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) conducted a visit to the facility and issued a series of critical recommendations. The CPT noted that the number of detainees had rapidly reduced from around 4,000 at the end of October 2022 to only 20 a month later when the delegation visited. Despite observing a caring and professional attitude in the provision of humanitarian assistance and satisfactory living conditions for very short stays of up to 24 hours, the committee raised significant concerns about the long-term detention of foreign nationals in overcrowded conditions.

Many detainees were held for up to 40 days in tents with no furniture other than foam mattresses. Sanitary facilities were limited, and access to fresh air was confined to a small outdoor area. The CPT concluded that prolonged detention in these poor conditions could have exposed detainees to inhuman and degrading treatment. As part of its recommendations, the CPT called for improvements in the material conditions of detention, including the reclassification of parts of the facility to Residential Holding Rooms where detainees could be held for up to 96 hours.

The committee also emphasised the need for stronger legal safeguards for detainees, including ensuring that no foreign national is held beyond the statutory limits, and that detainees receive regular reviews of their detention periods. The report highlighted concerns about healthcare provision, calling for mandatory medical screenings for detainees held longer than 24 hours and better coordination of medical care. It also raised concerns about the use of force, recommending that any use of force be subject to more rigorous oversight and that medical examinations be carried out when force is used.

The Inquiry 

The inquiry will investigate the treatment of detainees at Manston, the failings in the capacity planning and whether these contributed to the poor conditions at the site. Another key focus will be assessing whether the measures taken to improve conditions were effective and whether further actions should have been taken.

The terms of reference for the inquiry outline that it will not address the current operation of the centre but instead focus on the events that unfolded up to the closure of Manston in 2022. The inquiry will also look into the legal safeguards in place for detainees, such as the duration of detention and healthcare provisions. Sophie Cartwright KC was set to begin the inquiry on March 17, 2025, and is expected to lead an in-depth investigation.

As the inquiry progresses, several key figures could be called to give evidence regarding the human rights violations at Manston. A leaked government memo revealed that former Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak, as well as former Home Secretaries Priti Patel, Grant Shapps, and Suella Braverman, could be among those asked to testify. Other senior officials from various government departments may also be called upon to explain the actions taken during this period, which is expected to have reputational consequences for the Home Office.

A Search for Accountability: the legal cases being brought by detainees 

In light of these failures, the recently announced legal cases against the UK government are crucial. At least 250 former detainees have filed lawsuits for unlawful detention and human rights breaches. Many are seeking compensation for the physical and psychological harm they endured, while others hope to use the legal process to draw attention to the dire conditions faced by those detained at Manston.

The legal challenges reflect a broader issue of systemic failures in the UK's asylum system. Asylum seekers, many of whom have fled war, persecution, and human trafficking, are being treated as mere numbers in a system overwhelmed by political rhetoric and logistical challenges. As the lawsuits progress, the public inquiry into Manston’s operations may reveal even more stories of mistreatment and neglect, forcing the government to confront the full extent of its failures.

Conclusion: A Long Road to Reform

The inquiry into the Manston Asylum Centre could be a turning point in the UK’s immigration and asylum policies. The findings may lead to significant changes in how asylum seekers are treated, potentially leading to improved conditions and legal protections. However, given the scale of the failures at Manston, the road ahead will require substantial effort to restore faith in the system and ensure that the UK meets its obligations to vulnerable individuals seeking refuge.

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