Amnesty: Italy's Albania migrant hubs undermine human rights

Amnesty International has condemned Italy's migrant detention centres in Albania, saying the conditions there undermine human rights and should serve as a "wake-up call" for the European Union's plans to establish return hubs, according to Politico Europe.

The Italian-run facilities, part of a controversial agreement between Rome and Tirana to process asylum seekers outside EU territory, have drawn sharp criticism from the human rights group. Amnesty's assessment, reported by Politico Europe on Thursday, highlights the deteriorating conditions inside the centres and the impact on detainees.

The NGO's report comes as the EU debates the expansion of so-called return hubs — a policy pushed by several member states to process and return irregular migrants from third countries, with Italy's Albania model cited as a potential template.

Amnesty's findings, as relayed by Politico Europe, describe conditions that fall short of international standards, raising legal and ethical questions about the outsourcing of migration management. The organisation said the situation in the Italian centres should prompt EU leaders to reconsider their own plans, rather than replicate the model.

The Italy-Albania arrangement, signed in 2023, was hailed by the Italian government as a pioneering solution to curb irregular arrivals across the Mediterranean. Under the deal, migrants rescued at sea are transferred to Albanian facilities while their asylum claims are processed. However, the scheme has faced repeated legal challenges and operational setbacks since its inception.

For the Estero desk, the controversy has significant implications for EU migration policy. The European Commission has proposed a broader framework for return hubs, with several member states — including Austria and the Netherlands — expressing interest in similar bilateral deals. Amnesty's intervention adds weight to concerns raised by human rights organisations and some EU lawmakers that such schemes may breach the principle of non-refoulement and the right to asylum.

The report also underscores a growing divide within the EU between those advocating for stricter deterrence measures and those prioritising human rights protections. Italy's experience in Albania is now being watched closely in Brussels and other capitals as a test case for the feasibility and morality of extra-territorial processing.

Politico Europe's coverage noted that Amnesty's criticism is likely to intensify pressure on the Italian government, which has defended the hubs as a necessary tool to manage migration flows. The NGO's call for a "wake-up call" reflects broader unease among international observers about the direction of EU migration policy.