"Given the worsening situation of asylum-seekers in Hungary, I urge States to suspend any Dublin transfer of asylum-seekers to this country until the Hungarian authorities bring their practices and policies in line with European and international law," Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said as quoted in the agency's statement.
Grandi acknowledged the local authorities' efforts "to address police violence," but stressed that the United Nations remained concerned over reports of poor treatment of migrants, including by state agents.
According to the statement, the situation in Hungary significantly worsened since the law, which introduces mandatory detention of asylum-seekers, came into force.
"Since it came into force on 28 March, new asylum-seekers, including children, are detained in shipping containers surrounded by high razor fences at the border for the entire length of their asylum procedures," the statement read.
A total of 110 people, including unaccompanied children, were held there as of April 7, according to the statement.
Grandi therefore urged the Hungarian authorities to bring such practices to an end and carry out further investigation of allegations of violence and abuse.
The Dublin Regulation was adopted in 2003 and asserts that the responsibility for asylum regulation falls upon first safe country they reached on their arrival to the bloc. The regulation bans the transfer of asylum seekers to those EU member states "that do not guarantee a full and fair hearing of asylum claims."
Hungary has repeatedly opposed the European Union's position on immigration, particularly, on its migrants quota system, which stipulates the relocation of 160,000 asylum seekers across the bloc within two years. In 2015, Hungary built its first border fence to prevent illegal crossings. In late February, Budapest announced the construction of the second fence along its border with Serbia.
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