Bail hearings
Immigration bail hearings by video link: a monitoring exercise by Bail for Immigration Detainees and the Refugee Council [March 2008]
In December 2006, the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) announced its intention to introduce bail hearings by video link. Both the AIT and the Home Office have argued that video hearings are a way of addressing the long running problems with escorts whilst saving time and money. The introduction of video hearings means that detainees will no longer be taken to court. Instead their bail application will be heard by video link while they remain at the detention centre or prison. This report, based on a survey of detainees’ experiences, highlights the serious concerns shared by BID and the Refugee Council about how video link bail hearings will work for bail applicants and the impact it will have on their right to a fair hearing and their access to justice. Whilst video link bail hearings may well work for some detainees (particularly those who have previously been let down by escort failures), BID and the Refugee Council believe video hearings must only be used where detainees are consulted about their impact, informed about the process and given a meaningful choice between a video link and an in-court hearing. The report recommends that the roll-out be suspended until detainees have been consulted, informed and are offered a choice about whether they want to appear in court, or have their hearing by video link. Published in March 2008 |
