Sent back to hell? Deportations under fire

In reaction to allegations of refugees being tortured after being sent back to Sudan the Belgian government plans to set up a committee to examine migrant deportations. In Finland too, media reports on the murder of an Iraqi following his deportation from Finland have sparked a debate about the legality of the country's deportation practices.

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Le Soir (BE) /

Disgraceful experiments

Le Soir is annoyed at the decision:

“You can't just deport anyone, anyhow, into any circumstances. But that's precisely what the government has done: first I test the system with a couple of people, then I have an evaluation written up (but only under pressure), and adapt my strategy. But the collateral damage caused by this deportation 'test' affects human beings, not Belgian goods shipped across the globe. By not proceeding in the correct order - first developing a clear method and then acting on it - we've divided the country unnecessarily and fuelled doubts regarding Belgium's image.”

Savon Sanomat (FI) /

In need of protection means in need of protection

Deportation practices are moving in the wrong direction in Finland, Savon Sanomat warns:

“Finland can't simply suspend deportations, as for example the parliamentarian (for the Greens) Ville Niinistö has demanded. Suspending them would have major consequences and would turn Finland into a prime destination for refugees. ... Nonetheless there is serious concern about whether the tighter criteria hasn't led to practices that contravene the rights of refugees as defined by the UN. ... A just system doesn't seek formal judicial means to deport those who are genuinely being persecuted, but offers them protection.”