Holland: Grenshospitium criticised
01 January 1991
Holland: Grenshospitium criticised
artdoc July=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
Holland) 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.
Statewatch vol 3 no 3 May-June 1993