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On 24 September 2015, a seminar ‘Detention, Alternatives to Detention and Access to an Effective Remedy for Asylum Seekers in the Baltic States’ was organized by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Regional Representation for Northern Europe in cooperation with the Council of Europe and the Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania. The seminar was attended by judges and lawyers from Lithuania and other countries.

The participants were greeted by the acting President of the Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania Irmantas Jarukaitis, Head of Migration Coordination Unit in the Council of Europe Lilja Gretarsdottir, UNHCR Deputy Regional Representative for Northern Europe Karolina Lindholm-Billing and UNHCR representative in Lithuania Renata Kuleš.

Lithuanian, Estonian, Finnish and Polish judges, representatives of the Council of Europe, European Court of Human Rights and the UNHCR gave presentations. A review of national law and case-law was presented by the judge of the Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania Skirgailė Žalimienė.

The main focus of the discussion was on the safeguards against unlawful or arbitrary detention of asylum seekers and access to an effective remedy for asylum seekers. The acting President of the Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania I. Jarukaitis noted after the event: ‘The topic of the seminar is currently of particular relevance. There are several cases in the Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania where judges decide on questions of asylum seekers detention. Those are particularly sensitive cases where thorough investigation and assessment of all relevant circumstances are needed. We had a unique opportunity to share our experience with colleagues working in the same area in Lithuania and in other countries during the seminar.’

Photos from the event (UNHCR photos)

For more information see the website of the Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania www.lvat.lt  Please indicate the source when using this content.