A damning new report by the charity Medical Justice has revealed the alarming mistreatment of survivors of torture and trafficking detained as part of the UK government’s controversial “one in, one out” scheme for small boat arrivals.
The report, based on interviews with 33 detainees awaiting forced removal to France, paints a disturbing picture of a system that has shown a “near total disregard for identified vulnerabilities.” Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed showed clinical evidence of torture or trafficking, yet the report states that “clinical safeguards in detention are failing to protect these people.”
Many detainees described facing severe violence, intimidation and death threats from traffickers, smugglers, border forces, police and organised gangs, with some saying they were filmed or photographed by traffickers who threatened to hunt them down if they returned to France.
One man, who had a documented history of torture, told of being subjected to excessive force and violence during a failed removal attempt to France, leaving him struggling to breathe and fearing for his life. A Medical Justice clinician later documented evidence of his physical injuries and psychological harm.
The charity has called for the “one in, one out” scheme to be scrapped, arguing that it places an “especially high proportion of trafficking and torture survivors” at grave risk of further harm in detention. A Home Office spokesperson defended the policy, stating that protecting the UK border is the top priority and that the welfare of detainees is of “the utmost importance.”
However, the report paints a damning picture of a system that is failing the most vulnerable, with Medical Justice warning that the government appears determined to remove these individuals “come what may.” The harrowing accounts highlighted in this investigation raise urgent questions about the UK’s approach to immigration and asylum, and the duty of care owed to those seeking refuge on its shores.