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MORE TROUBLE FOR JUSTICE SECRETARY
NL Times, The Netherlands
May 29 2014
Posted by Maxime Zech on 9:21 CEST, Thursday, 29, May, 2014 in
Netherlands
The SP and GroenLinks are very dubious about State Secretary for
Security and Justice, Fred Teeven's humanity in the implementation
of the asylum policy. The parties want an independent investigation
to be conducted into the suicide of an Armenian asylum seeker in
April. For this, they want to submit a motion next week.
This was announced by MP for the SP, Sharon Gesthuizen, and MP
for GroenLinks Linda Voortman on Wednesday during a debate about
the treatment of asylum seekers. After Russian Aleksandr Dolmatov
committed suicide in a detention center for asylum seekers, this
issue has been a political minefield. At that time, Teeven survived
a motion of no-confidence.
The Investigative Council for Security launched an investigation into
the risks that rejected asylum seekers run in shelters and detention
centers. The Investigative Council did not, at the time, find any
evidence that asylum centers are structurally unsafe, but write in the
report that immigrants do run risks, and that a solution was needed.
Teeven promised Parliament that he would bring more "humane measures"
into the alien policy.
Since then, the leftist opposition has not had reason to doubt the
State Secretary. In April, however, Armenian Artavazd Gasparyan became
the second asylum seeker to commit suicide in the center where he was
staying, after being rejected for asylum, and was going to be sent
back to Germany by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND).
According to Gasparyan's lawyer, Eva van den Hombergh, the IND "took
an unnecessary and dangerous risk" by deciding to send the man back.
Gasparyan had serious psychological problems. Teeven wrote a letter to
Parliament explaining the circumstances around the suicide. According
to the man's lawyer, the information he gave was false, and that the
Asylum Seekers Health Center doctor was unfamiliar with Gasparyan's
mental health issues.
Now, MPs Linda Voortman of GroenLinks and Sharon Gesthuizen of SP
wonder if the State Secretary is trustworthy in the execution of
asylum seekers policy. According to the Telegraaf, D66 MP Gerard
Schouw discouraged a motion of no-confidence be submitted against
Teeven. According to him, this is "overdone" and "too easy". The
parties actually wanted Teeven to be severely reprimanded,
but Gasthuizen admitted that a motion has no use, as the rest of
Parliament will not support this. Neither will an eventual independent
investigation receive Parliament support, they believe.
According to the PvdA and D66, there have been improvements in the
treatment of asylum seekers. "D66 does give Teeven a yellow card",
said Schouw, but he finds that the State Secretary should get the
chance to finish his work.
This is the third time that Teeven has been faced with a motion of
no-confidence by opposition parties. Last year, in a debate about
Dolatov, and two weeks ago when Teeven acknowledged the deluge of
asylum seekers entering the country from Eritrea.
http://www.nltimes.nl/2014/05/29/trouble-justice-secretary/
NL Times, The Netherlands
May 29 2014
Posted by Maxime Zech on 9:21 CEST, Thursday, 29, May, 2014 in
Netherlands
The SP and GroenLinks are very dubious about State Secretary for
Security and Justice, Fred Teeven's humanity in the implementation
of the asylum policy. The parties want an independent investigation
to be conducted into the suicide of an Armenian asylum seeker in
April. For this, they want to submit a motion next week.
This was announced by MP for the SP, Sharon Gesthuizen, and MP
for GroenLinks Linda Voortman on Wednesday during a debate about
the treatment of asylum seekers. After Russian Aleksandr Dolmatov
committed suicide in a detention center for asylum seekers, this
issue has been a political minefield. At that time, Teeven survived
a motion of no-confidence.
The Investigative Council for Security launched an investigation into
the risks that rejected asylum seekers run in shelters and detention
centers. The Investigative Council did not, at the time, find any
evidence that asylum centers are structurally unsafe, but write in the
report that immigrants do run risks, and that a solution was needed.
Teeven promised Parliament that he would bring more "humane measures"
into the alien policy.
Since then, the leftist opposition has not had reason to doubt the
State Secretary. In April, however, Armenian Artavazd Gasparyan became
the second asylum seeker to commit suicide in the center where he was
staying, after being rejected for asylum, and was going to be sent
back to Germany by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (IND).
According to Gasparyan's lawyer, Eva van den Hombergh, the IND "took
an unnecessary and dangerous risk" by deciding to send the man back.
Gasparyan had serious psychological problems. Teeven wrote a letter to
Parliament explaining the circumstances around the suicide. According
to the man's lawyer, the information he gave was false, and that the
Asylum Seekers Health Center doctor was unfamiliar with Gasparyan's
mental health issues.
Now, MPs Linda Voortman of GroenLinks and Sharon Gesthuizen of SP
wonder if the State Secretary is trustworthy in the execution of
asylum seekers policy. According to the Telegraaf, D66 MP Gerard
Schouw discouraged a motion of no-confidence be submitted against
Teeven. According to him, this is "overdone" and "too easy". The
parties actually wanted Teeven to be severely reprimanded,
but Gasthuizen admitted that a motion has no use, as the rest of
Parliament will not support this. Neither will an eventual independent
investigation receive Parliament support, they believe.
According to the PvdA and D66, there have been improvements in the
treatment of asylum seekers. "D66 does give Teeven a yellow card",
said Schouw, but he finds that the State Secretary should get the
chance to finish his work.
This is the third time that Teeven has been faced with a motion of
no-confidence by opposition parties. Last year, in a debate about
Dolatov, and two weeks ago when Teeven acknowledged the deluge of
asylum seekers entering the country from Eritrea.
http://www.nltimes.nl/2014/05/29/trouble-justice-secretary/