Somalia: Amnesty Criticises Netherlands for deporting refugees to dangerous zones

Published: October 23, 2014
Newly arrived Internally Displaced People in Mogadishu, Somalia/ Amnesty photo
Newly arrived Internally Displaced People in Mogadishu, Somalia/ Amnesty photo

Amnesty International has criticised authorities in the Netherlands for continuing to forcefully deport failed Somali asylum seekers to dangerous zones controlled by al-Shabaab militants.

In a report published by the organisation, Netherlands has been accused of sending back the deportees to areas still under the control of extremist militants which can end up them facing ”death penalties”.

“By sending Somalis to volatile areas where their lives are in danger, the Dutch government is also responsible for the human rights abuses they face on their return,’’ read the report.

Meanwhile, it has called on governments such as Norway, Denmark, United Kingdom, Sweden and Saudi Arabia to end their policy of returning Somalis to south and central Somalia.

It cited an example as one of the deportees, Ahmed Said who was returned to Mogadishu and three days later was injured in an explosion.

Human rights and advocacy groups have voiced their concerns on deportation of Somalis seeking for asylum, saying that it represents a clear violation of international refugee conventions.

Last month, the Somali government refused to receive a number of refugees deported back from Norway which it said that they had been ‘’forced’’.

Across Europe, tens of thousands of Somalis are in legal limbo, waiting to have asylum claims processed, or under threat of return to the war-torn nation t if their applications have been rejected.

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