The Finnish Immigration Service Migri will open a third detention unit for rejected asylum seekers. The unit with 30 beds will be located at Heikinharju asylum seeker reception centre in Oulu.
According to Migri, asylum seekers can be detained if there are reasonable grounds to suspect they may go into hiding to stop the police from deporting them. In addition, asylum seekers may be kept in custody if their identity is unclear.
Migri says the additional detention unit is needed and cited geographical grounds for opening a facility in Oulu.
”Oulu has good flight connections considering possible repatriations,” says Janne Similä, deputy director at Oulu asylum seeker reception centre.
Two other detention units are located in Helsinki and Joutseno, southeastern Finland. The centre in Oulu is expected to open in summer of 2019.
Earlier this year, an asylum seeker was found dead at the Joutseno detention centre.
