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The Home Office will "appeal shortly" against last week's high court ruling that it unlawfully detained, and breached the human rights of, four asylum seekers at its Oakington reception centre in Cambridgeshire.

The ruling follows a challenge by four Iraqi Kurds who had been held at the fast-track immigration reception centre. The centre processes asylum applications within 10 days compared with the average 13 months it takes for asylum seekers who have been dispersed around the country.

A Home Office spokesperson said that the department planned to appeal against the decision before 5 October, the date on which the ruling comes into effect.

Mr Justice Collins ruled that the men had been detained for administrative efficiency rather than concerns that they would abscond, and therefore their human right to security and liberty had been breached.

Refugee Council chief executive Nick Hardwick supported the high court's decision. "The fundamental principle at stake here is whether it is right to detain people who have committed no crime," he said. "We have always maintained that locking up innocent men, women and children is unacceptable."

Liberty associate director Mary Cunneen said: "The whole basis of detention policy relating to asylum seekers needs to be fairer, more rational and more transparent - and compliant with article five of the European Convention on human rights and our other international human rights obligations."