Hundreds of Asian refugees trapped at Sao Paulo's airport for weeks

Hundreds of asylum seekers from India, Nepal and Vietnam have been stuck in Sao Paulo's international airport for weeks in alarming conditions, sleeping on the floor as they wait to enter Brazil, according to the Public Defender's Office and documents seen by Reuters.

A spokesman for the office said on Friday that a 39-year-old migrant from Ghana died two weeks ago of unknown causes. It was not clear whether he died while retained at the airport or on the way to the hospital.

At least 666 irregular migrants without visas were waiting to enter Brazil at Guarulhos airport, the official said, with the added uncertainty that the government plans to tighten entry rules on Monday to stem a flow of foreigners using Brazil as a stopover to get to the United States and Canada.

The asylum seekers are held in a restricted area where there is no access to a shower and their movements are limited, making it hard for them to obtain food and water, while children and adolescents endure winter cold with no blankets, the official said.

The Public Defender's Office found that the migrants' human rights were being violated with their health deteriorating.

The agency said conditions for the irregular migrants need to be urgently improved while their status is being resolved, and urged authorities in a statement to comply with Brazil's legislation based on the humanitarian principle of accepting refugees and not returning them to their country of origin.

Boom in foreign travellers

Starting on Monday, foreign travellers without a Brazilian visa who are headed for another country must travel straight on to their destination or return to their home country, Brazil's public security ministry told Reuters on Wednesday.

Brazil has seen a boom in foreign travellers, particularly from Asia, landing in the country for a supposed layover en route to North America, the ministry said in a statement.

To enter Brazil, they ask for refugee status, alleging persecution and threats in their home countries, but a majority travel north when they can, according to two reports from authorities seen by Reuters and a senior police source.

Now, those passengers arriving in Sao Paulo without a visa will not be allowed to stay in Brazil, the ministry said.

It was not clear whether the new rules will apply to migrants already at the Sao Paulo airport or apply only to those arriving after the rules go into effect.

Immigration experts are concerned that the proposed rules counter the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, to which Brazil is a party and which calls on countries to take in those at risk in their home country, even if they are undocumented.

The head of Brazil's refugee committee, Jean Uema, told Reuters the rules would apply specifically to Sao Paulo airport and there would be no change to Brazil's policy on asylum seekers.