return procedures; d) if there is a risk to nation-
al security or public order; or (e) during transfer
procedures under the Dublin Regulation if there
is a risk of them going missing.
The maximum length of detention is six
months, which in certain cases can be extend-
ed by 12 additional months. However, the
12-month extension does not apply to families
with children or to individuals considered at
risk.
Alternatives to detention are provided by law
but rarely used in practice. Options such as
release on bail and reporting obligations are
available but only to those who have proof of
accommodation and sufficient financial means
to support themselves. Many asylum seekers,
especially families and particularly vulnerable
individuals, do not meet these requirements.
As a result, families may be detained for several
months. Among those who qualify for alterna-
tives to detention, access to adequate healthcare
and material support is a cause for concern,
since Slovak law only provides for access to
healthcare, basic material support and social
and legal services for detainees.
THE PRACTICE
HRL partners with various national civil
society organisations and networks including
the Coalition for Children, the Foundation for
Children and the Slovak Humanitarian Council
as well as legal aid providers such as the Centre
for Legal Aid under the Ministry of Justice, to
end migration detention of children and fami-
lies in Slovakia and protect children’s rights.
At the time we were there, we were the only family.
The children did not have anyone to play with. We were
isolated from the others. I was 16 at the time, but my
brothers and sisters were still little children (three, nine
and ten years old).
In the area of advocacy, HRL and its partners
participate in the development of policies and
legislative reforms by providing recommen-
dations and advice to legislative bodies and
migration authorities, lobbying members of the
parliament and using strategic litigation prac-
tices. Awareness-raising activities and public
campaigns are used to inform members of the
public of the situation of children in detention
and engage them in the public discourse on
policy and legislative reform.
In addition, HRL liaises with professionals
providing legal aid to families and children in
detention and implements training activities
and workshops to build their capacity.
Ahmed, 27-year-old refugee from Iraq
HRL works in two areas: direct services and
activities for children and families in detention
facilities or at risk of detention, and advocacy
activities that include litigation, monitoring of
detention facilities and research publications
on the issue.
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To trigger and facilitate policy and legislative
reforms, HRL and its partners engage with
stakeholders at both national and international
levels. They maintain constructive dialogue
with state authorities while also advocating
with relevant UN committees and bodies to
increase international pressure on the national
government. For example, HRL and the Czech
NGO Forum for Human Rights submitted a