Over 70 Refugee Children Held in Adult Detention Centers in the UK, Subjected to Torture

The situation regarding unaccompanied minor refugees in the United Kingdom has raised serious concerns, with over 70 children seeking asylum being placed in adult detention centers where they reportedly face abuse bordering on torture. Human rights advocates assert that the treatment these children receive from guards leads to severe physical and psychological trauma.

According to information published by The Guardian, UK legislation prohibits the detention of unaccompanied minor asylum seekers. However, the country's Home Office is actively challenging the ages of these minors and forcibly deporting them to France. This has sparked outrage among human rights defenders, who point to numerous violations of children's rights.

Since September, the human rights organization Humans for Rights Network has documented 76 cases of children whose ages were questioned. The majority of these children come from conflict zones, including Eritrea, Sudan, and Afghanistan. This indicates that children who have already endured war and violence are now facing new hardships in a country that is supposed to protect them.

The Guardian reports that during deportations, children are subjected to severe physical violence. Among the injuries they sustain are knocked-out front teeth, deep scratches on their arms, swollen limbs, and leg injuries. This suggests that the conditions of detention are not only inappropriate but also life-threatening and harmful to the health of these children.

Maddi Harris, a representative of HRN, stated, "Many of these children have experienced torture and human trafficking and are suffering from a sharp decline in mental health due to often months-long detention in the UK." This underscores the seriousness of the situation and the urgent need for policy changes regarding unaccompanied minor refugees.

Official inquiries to local authorities have confirmed that many refugees initially classified as adults by the Home Office have later been recognized as children by social workers. This highlights systemic issues in age identification and refugee status, which can lead to serious violations of their rights.

Currently, 26 out of the 76 illegally detained children have been released from custody and placed under the care of social services. Another 11 remain in adult detention centers pending age verification, while 13 have already been deported from the country. This raises concerns among human rights advocates, who believe that children should not endure such harsh conditions.

Sources within the Home Office stated that in cases where individuals refuse to comply or physically resist, law enforcement may unfortunately be compelled to use reasonable and proportionate force to ensure safety and to compel them to leave the UK or comply with lawful instructions during detention. However, such actions raise serious ethical and legal questions about the use of force against vulnerable groups, such as children.

The refugee situation in the UK is not new, but it has become even more tense following the signing of a migration agreement between the UK and French governments in July 2025. This agreement stipulates that the UK can forcibly return migrants who illegally crossed the English Channel by boat to France. In return, London has committed to legally accepting the same number of asylum seekers from France who did not attempt to cross the border illegally. The first deportations under this scheme began in mid-September 2025, further complicating the situation for refugee children.