The UK is one of the few countries in Europe to have no limit on the length of time asylum seekers can be detained.
Along with the UK, only Ireland, Cyprus and Hungary have no limit on how long an asylum seeker can be held in detention.
Most countries have set a maximum length of detention of asylum seekers.
They include Spain which has the shortest detention length of 10 days, Germany 28, France 45 days, and Latvia and Poland 60 days.
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Countries with significantly long periods in which asylum seekers can be held in detention are Greece - 1095 days, Netherlands 450, Denmark 540.
Italy, Finland, Sweden and Luxembourg each have a limit of 365 days.
Read more about this issue:
Home Secretary told to end indefinite asylum detention
The data has been published by the Scottish Parliament's research unit using information obtained from the Global Detention Project.
“Detaining asylum seekers is morally repugnant – it is our moral duty to help those fleeing violence and persecution, not lock them up," said SNP MSP Karen Adam.
“The UK government’s approach to asylum is disgraceful and these figures show that across Europe they are a shameful outlier. The Home Secretary must urgently address this.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Under the Illegal Migration Act, people who come to the UK illegally will be detained and promptly removed, to their home country or a safe third country.
“Immigration detention allows the government to maintain effective immigration control and protect the UK and our communities.”
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