Solidarity made in Denmark – Danish government wants to seize jewelry, valuables and cash from refugees

It’s not a hoax: the Danish government really is legislating to search refugees and confiscate jewellery and other valuables. Officials say the law is intended to help cover expenses.

Reports first emerged last week that Denmark was planning to search refugees trying to claim asylum in the country and confiscate valuable items to pay for their living expenses.

The story began to circulate on news websites, with some readers dismissing it as a hoax, before it was picked up by international media.

Some commentators have defended Denmark for taking a tough line on asylum seekers, while critics – including politicians from the ruling party – have said the idea recalls the Nazi policy of stealing valuables from Jewish refugees and prisoners. The UN refugee agency UNHCR told Channel 4 News the idea “beggars belief”.

Nevertheless, the Danish government has confirmed it published draft legislation on a range of new asylum initiatives, including “seizing valuable assets”, on 10 December.

More details will be thrashed out in parliamentary debate in January, but a new law is expected to come into force from February.

A Danish government spokesman said: “The Danish Immigration Service shall ensure that asylum seekers receive the necessary support while their asylum applications are being considered. The support includes basic maintenance, health care and accommodation.

“The bill presented on 10 December 2015 provides the Danish authorities with the power to search clothes and luggage of asylum seekers – and other migrants without a permit to stay in Denmark – with a view to finding assets which may cover the expenses mentioned above.

In recent months, Denmark has taken a fairly harsh stance toward refugees. In September, for example, authorities published an ad in Lebanese newspapers carrying an unmistakable message to foreigners who might think about seeking asylum: Don’t come to Denmark.

Now, the country is debating another and even more extreme step: The government is considering a law that would allow authorities to confiscate jewelry from refugees entering the country. The proposal is almost certain to pass Parliament.

“It is pretty telling about the current Danish policies that [some] are not quite sure whether this is a hoax or not,” said Zachary Whyte, an asylum and integration researcher at the University of Copenhagen. In this case, it’s real.

“The bill presented on 10 December 2015 provides the Danish authorities with the power to search clothes and luggage of asylum seekers — and other migrants without a permit to stay in Denmark — with a view to finding assets which may cover the expenses,” the Danish Ministry of Integration said in an email to The Washington Post.

The law would also impact refugees already in the country. It is included in an asylum policy bill that is expected to pass Parliament in January and would be set to take effect by next February. Police authorities would be allowed to seize valuables and cash amounts they deem expensive enough.

According to the Integration Ministry, “the new rule on seizure will only apply to assets of a considerable value.” Foreigners are expected to be able to “keep assets which are necessary to maintain a modest standard of living, e.g. watches and mobile phones. Furthermore, assets which have a certain personal, sentimental value to a foreigner will not, as a main rule, be seized unless they have [considerable] value.”

There were discrepancies in how the two main political parties are interpreting the proposed law. “Absurdly, the minister of justice initially explained the law on television by saying that it would apply to a hypothetical asylum seeker arriving with a suitcase full of diamonds. This prompted the Danish People’s Party to point out that items of smaller value should also be impounded,” Whyte said.

Source: washingtonpost.com
Source: channel4.com