Netherlands: Grenshospitium criticised
01 May 1993
The Ministry of Justice is looking for an annex to the Grenshospitium in Amsterdam where asylum seekers viewed as troublesome by the authorities can be placed (see Statewatch vol 2 no 4). The new location in Leeuwarden (in the north of Netherlands) could be in operation by September. Asylum seekers and illegal aliens whose applications for entry have been refused are accommodated in the Grenshospitium while awaiting deportation. Over the last year repeated incidents have occurred at the Grenshospitium leading to "trouble makers" being transferred to remand prisons. The Supervisory Commission of the Grenshospitium, an independent body of experts, ruled on April 22 that asylum seekers who express their desire to leave the Hospitium cannot simply be accused of rebellion. In one case in November 1992 an asylum seeker was transferred to a prison where he was put in solitary confinement for five weeks after guards had accused him of instigating a protest. On appeal, the Commission has ruled that the director of the Hospitium had to pay the asylum seeker dfl 1205.-in damages. Parliament has so far almost totally ignored the problems at the Grenshospitium. State secretary Mr Aad Kosto is also looking into the possibility of establishing a prison for refused asylum seekers awaiting extradition and criminal aliens to be expelled after serving their sentence. The capacity will be some 150 to 200 cells. One option under consideration is to adapt redundant military barracks.
Report advocates "restraints"
A Commission set up in January to review the treatment of aliens being held at Schipol airport pending deportation has recommended that those who resist may be put on the plane restrained by a straitjacket or strapped in a stretcher and for those shouting, biting and spitting an ice hockey-type mask should be developed. Aliens using life-threatening behaviour can under certain conditions be injected with a sedative (the use of anaesthetic injections as used by the Italian and Swiss authorities was ruled out).
The recommendations in the report "The application of pressure during the expulsion of illegal aliens" was presented by the Commission chair the president of the Amsterdam court of appeal Mr H van den Haak on May 6. The Commission was set up after Mr Hudaru, a Romanian refugee, was maimed for life by the Marechaussee paramilitary border police during his expulsion at Schiphol airport. The use of tape to silence individuals (which nearly killed the Romanian refugee) is rejected by the commission. Serious cases of physical resistance to expulsion occur at least once a week at Schiphol.
In an interview Mr Van den Haak admitted that the commission had avoided mentioning the refugees fear for their life as a possible reason for their desperate resistance.