ATTEMPTED DEPORTATION OF A YOUNG PALESTINIAN MAN

This Sunday on the 13th of October, a young palestinian man was subjected to an attempted deportation at Zaventem airport. It was the second attempt to deport him to Albania. On the first attempt, Albania refused the deportation and he was taken back to Belgium. 

After a long journey he arrived in Belgium, crossing many countries (from Gaza he came through Egypt, Turkey, Greece, and Albania). He was arrested at the airport in April 2024 on a flight from Albania. The Office wants to send him back to Albania, applying the 1944 Chicago Convention, which allows people arriving in the country and whose asylum application has been refused.  Under guise of the Chicago convention, violence, encarceration and forced expulsions are being perpetrated, as the person is alledgedy “illegally” entring on a territory. 

The attempted expulsions of a man from Gaza symbolises the hypocrisy and involvement of Belgium (and more broadly that of European migration policies) in the genocide that is, to this day, taking place there. In Belgium and elsewhere, the  procedure denies people fleeing from violence and genocide the recognition of international protection and adequate reception.

The day before the expulsion, the man injured his head and was taken to the hospital. As soon as he returned to the centre that same night, security came to get him from his cell, at 4 a.m., to escort him to the airport. Once at the airport, he resisted the deportation and was taken back to closed centre 127bis. The young man is still being threatened with deportation and is going through degrading treatment by the OE. He should have the right to be regularised – just like all people detained in closed centres, regardless of their origin and their personal/ familial situation.

Around 15 people from all over Belgium came to the airport this Sunday in his support, and explained the situation to the passengers on the flight, as well as their right to oppose the forced expulsion. We would like to thank them for their efforts.

Our thoughts are with the young Palestinian man that is still being detained in the centre, and with all his fellow detainees.

#Freedom of movement for all.

#Abolish all borders.

#Abolish all detention centres and prisons.

#Free Palestine.

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