A group of migrant women living in the refugee centre Bad Sachsa, in the German state of Lower Saxony, have published an open letter accusing authorities of prison-like treatment, privacy violations through late-night police raids, and racist behaviour — charges that local officials deny, despite a recent ruling by Germany’s constitutional court requiring a judicial warrant for entering refugees’ private rooms.
Who is speaking out — and why
The letter was shared via Flüchtlings Café Göttingen, and signed by a group of women residing in Bad Sachsa’s refugee accommodation. They address officials in the state immigration authorities and describe repeated violations of their fundamental rights: their ability to move freely and to maintain privacy is reportedly undermined by the facility’s management, security staff, and local police.
In their words: the women — many fleeing war or persecution — “are treated as if we were in prison.” They call the nightly raids, constant headcounts, and forced presence in their rooms deeply degrading and harmful.
Allegations: Night-time raids, lack of privacy, and racist treatment
According to the letter and local reports:
- Police officers have allegedly entered their rooms late at night without knocking, and without giving residents time to open the door. Some women say the officers walked in while they were undressing.
- The building’s third floor — reserved exclusively for women — is reportedly targeted by nightly identity/security checks. The women say security staff, who are all men, bang loudly on doors around 10:00 PM or later, often waking them, and sometimes enter the rooms if the door is not opened quickly.
- These repeated raids and interruptions are said to severely disrupt sleep and mental well-being.
- Some women report that when they were visiting other women’s rooms or away during such inspections, they were marked as “absent” — possibly a pretext for disciplinary action.
- Additionally, the letter mentions poor-quality, often stale food being served. If they don’t arrive exactly at the scheduled time, there may be nothing left; leftovers cannot be taken away — they must throw them into bins under supervision.
- Finally, some signatories say they witnessed racist behaviour by security teams, especially targeted towards Black women.
What the authorities say — and the broader context
The shelter is operated by Landesaufnahmebehörde Niedersachsen (LAB), which said on request that room entries during deportations or security operations are “sometimes necessary and happen within the scope of legal provisions.”
Yet, the criticism coincides with a broader debate on refugee accommodations: according to the open letter and media reports, the Bad Sachsa facility currently houses 198 refugees from six countries — including 76 children.
The critics argue that even though the facility is publicly run, basic rights to privacy and dignity must be respected — especially since many residents have escaped war, persecution or abuse. The letter’s authors emphasize that such nightly raids and invasive checks turn their refuge into a place of fear and humiliation.
From: Mizanonline
