Delhi HC Orders FRRO To Provide Immediate Medical Assistance To Detained Rohingya Refugee

The Delhi High Court recently ordered the Central Government and the Foreign Regional Registration Office (FRRO) to provide immediate medical assistance to Senora Begum, a Rohingya refugee, lodged in one of the national capital’s detention centres.

Justice Prathiba M Singh stated that her medical examination should take place by Friday and cautioned the authorities that there should be no violations in providing sufficient meals to Begum and other detainees.

The Court passed the order after Begum, 23, moved before the Court seeking her release from the detention centre.

Advocate Warisha Farasat appeared on behalf of the petitioner and informed the Court that Begum is now stateless and that the Myanmar government has refused to grant her any recognition.

Farasat claimed that Begum escaped Myanmar and sought asylum in India. She and her husband, however, were detained by officials and have been held in a detention centre since June of last year.

The petitioner is quite ill and in poor health. Farasat described the prison center’s conditions as “absolutely inhumane.”

“They do not have the authority to detain us, and there is no provision for indefinite detention. The conditions in the detention centre are completely inhumane… During the course of preparing this petition, we discovered that detainees are only fed food twice a day,” Farasat stated.

Meanwhile, the government’s counsel stated that they have attempted to contact Myanmarese officials but have received no response. It was also said that the illegal immigrants are being held at the detention centre so that they can be reached as needed.

He further stated that meals are served to detainees in accordance with the rules.

After hearing the case, the Court issued a notice to the Central Government directing the authorities to provide Begum with medical treatment.

Justice Singh stated that the case will be heard again in July.