Ombudsman's Office publishes results of inspection of Foreigners' Registration Centre in Pabradė

The Seimas Ombudsman's Office has published a report following inspections of foreigners registration centre in Pabradė, finding that more than five years after the onset of the migrant crisis, key human rights safeguards remain insufficiently ensured. The inspections, carried out under the Ombudsman's National Preventive Mechanism mandate against torture, examined detention conditions, restrictions on freedom of movement, access to information and healthcare, material living conditions, and other aspects at the Pabradė Reception Centre and the Aliens Registration Centre.

The report identifies persistent shortcomings in access to information. Many migrants and asylum seekers were not provided with clear, accessible information about their rights, obligations, applicable procedures, or complaint mechanisms in a language they understood. Language barriers were particularly evident in healthcare, psychological and social services, where staff relied on translation applications or other migrants to communicate. Although institutions have introduced digital tools such as QR codes, the InfoDesk App and the VERTIS translation programme, inspectors found that many residents were unaware of these resources, were not shown how to use them, or encountered non-functioning QR codes and inconsistent multilingual content.

The Ombudsman also raised concerns about disproportionate restrictions on freedom of movement. Migrants placed in quarantine were confined to their rooms without access to outdoor exercise, in some cases for longer than 48 hours. Others reported being allowed only around one hour of outdoor time daily, despite internal rules providing for significantly more. At the Pabradė Reception Centre, some foreigners subject to alternatives to detention had never left the facility because they were either denied permits or not informed how to obtain them. Inspectors also documented cases where restrictions on leaving the centre were imposed collectively as punishment for misconduct, such as smoking indoors or disorderly behaviour.

The report further highlights deficiencies in material conditions. Some residents lacked appropriate seasonal clothing and footwear, while staff cited shortages linked to fluctuating occupancy levels. Although accommodation areas were generally equipped with basic furniture and appliances, inspectors found shortages of essential kitchenware, forcing some residents to prepare and consume food using empty food cans.

While welcoming the establishment of the Reception and Integration Agency as a positive institutional development, the Ombudsman stresses that further action is needed to ensure effective protection of human rights. Recommendations focus on improving access to information and interpretation services, strengthening individual needs assessments, ensuring adequate material conditions, and applying restrictions on freedom of movement only where they are lawful, necessary, proportionate and individually justified. In total, the Ombudsman issued several dozen recommendations to the responsible authorities to address the identified shortcomings.