A/52/471 English Page 9 "The visits have allowed the organizations, however, to record violations of the rights, dignity and even safety of persons of such gravity that the situation for foreigners at France's air, sea and railway entry points can be described as scandalous: "Upstream of the holding areas: Systematic violations of the right to one clear day before the decision to refuse entry is carried out; Immediate refoulement as soon as physically possible; Illegal types of deprivation of liberty (keeping persons on board ship at sea, administrative detention and arbitrary detention at some frontier posts); No possibility of communicating or appealing; No possibility under these conditions of seeking asylum; In the holding areas: Accommodation in conditions that are physically very inadequate and injurious to individual dignity and even safety, particularly for minors; Conditions of accommodation that for the most part allow no freedom of movement and impose excessive isolation on the individuals held; Lack of information for the interested parties on their rights and on the procedure which they are undergoing; Serious procedural irregularities; Violations of: - The right to the assistance of an interpreter or a doctor; - The right to communicate freely; - The rights of defence; - The right of asylum. "This situation, of course, has its roots in the attitude of the administration, which systematically sacrifices respect for the law on the altar of 'efficiency', but the legislation itself, which sets up injustices and secrecy, opened the way for it." /...