Three unaccompanied minors from Afghanistan sought international protection in an EU country. Lacking family or resources, they were detained by Czech police for 30 days, despite having no documentation and awaiting the results of medical age assessment. The police argued that alternatives to detention would be ineffective due to the risk of escape, and that the medical reports estimated their ages as between 18 and 19.
The applicants challenged their detention as adults, based on the use of contested medical methods for their age assessment. The Supreme Administrative Court ruled in their favour, criticizing the police for detaining them without waiting for medical confirmation of their ages. The Court emphasized that unaccompanied minors can only be detained if there is a significant security risk, and only for the time necessary to confirm their age. Since the medical reports were expected within two days, the police acted unlawfully by detaining the applicants for a maximum period of 90 days without allowing them a chance to contest the age assessment.
Source here.