The island of Malta covers just 316 sq km in land area, and the population counts more than 400.000 people. Annually around 2000 immigrants arrive in Malta. Once the immigrants have arrived at the island, they are arrested for illegal immigration, and then transferred to closed detention centres where they may remain for up to 18 months. During that period of time the Maltese authorities carry out the same interrogations over and over again to come to know the country of origin of the immigrants. In the last years the only people who gained refugee card came from Mogadishu. After their stay in the detention centre, the immigrants are transferred into open centres. The most important open centre in Malta are Marsa and Hal-Far. The living conditions in these centres are precarious. The immigrants are allowed to move freely on the island, but they are not allowed to leave for another European country to start a new life. The Maltese authorities don’t grant the right to work and they do not invest in integration. In the end the immigrants live like in a big prison.
