Almost 100 asylum seekers previously held at Manston immigration processing centre are suing the Home Office over claims they were subjected to “ill-treatment” by facility staff, a court has heard.

Lawyers representing 96 asylum seekers say they were “unlawfully detained” at the short-term holding facility for varying periods between September and November 2022.

Agata Patyna, who is representing the large group, said in written arguments that the cases involved alleged “breaches of fundamental rights, including the right to liberty and prohibition on inhuman and degrading treatment, in respect of detention of large numbers of individuals in Manston House”.

“There is a strong public interest in the court determining the legality of the events complained of by the claimants,” she said.

The barrister said all of the asylum seekers had made protection claims in the UK, with 54 being recognised as refugees or given humanitarian protection.

She said the group included unaccompanied children, women who were pregnant at the time of their detention, vulnerable people with mental health conditions and disabilities and victims of trafficking, sexual offences and torture.

The migrants should be anonymised “to protect their legitimate interests, safety, privacy and welfare” and in relation to the “highly personal, distressing information” allegedly linked to their treatment at Manston, the court was told.

This includes an alleged “lack of adequate access to feminine hygiene and menstruation products” and claims linked to “severe bleeding in pregnancy/miscarriage” and “struggling to breastfeed a disabled child”, Ms Patyna said.

She added that allegations are made over “a child wearing soiled nappies”, the “humiliation of Muslim women by having to remove their hijabs in front of others” and the “humiliation of a Muslim child having to eat non-Halal meat”.

One child has an “ongoing fear of going to the toilet on their own, without an adult present, in consequence of the trauma suffered while detained”, the court was told.

Judge John Dagnall concluded that granting anonymity to the asylum seekers was “necessary to secure proper administration of justice” and protect their interests.

He said: “It does seem to me that I should also bear in mind that, particularly in the light of recent events, there are sections of the populous who may be adversely inclined to asylum seekers.”

The High Court also heard on Friday that the individuals faced “egregious conditions”, including “instances of humiliation” that affected their “personal hygiene and wellbeing”.

It is understood the legal proceedings have been paused until late October this year, amid efforts to reach settlements in the cases, the Home Office is yet to formally file a defence.

A judge has granted the migrants anonymity in the legal proceedings after being told they may be at risk of harm in their country of origin if identified.

The Manston site is used to process new arrivals of people who have entered the UK by boat crossing the Channel.

The 1,600-capacity site made headlines in 2022 amid concerns that 4,000 people were held there – this was branded by one Kent MP as a “breach of humane conditions”.

“Unacceptable conditions” were flagged by site inspectors that October, with the Home Office previously saying significant improvements had been made since then.