Mass deportations 20/01/2022
Many detainees in closed centres are or will be deported these days, mainly to sub-Saharan Africa.
Most of them are people who have been arrested at the airport and denied asylum. They are desperate and tell us that they are in danger in the country they left but that the CGRA or the Office des étrangers did not consider their application valid for various reasons. Everything is based on written evidence, their word is not heard, the fact that they come from so-called “safe” countries etc.
These frightened detainees are constantly calling us for help. We juggle with their lawyers, some of whom are absent and others who are unable to find a legal solution to prevent deportations.
Last deportations to our knowledge:
28/12/2021: Forced deportation to Iran
28/12 /2021 : Forced deportation to Cameroon.
18/01/2022: Deportation to Istanbul twice for an Iraqi, twice Turkey refused him and he was brought back in CF to Belgium
19/02/2022: Collective flight to DRC with to our knowledge 3 men and one woman (more info to follow)
Indviduel Planned Deportations planned to our knowledge:
21/01/2022: to Cameroon
22/01: to Benin22/02: to Ivory Coast
25/01: to Senegal
The only way to prevent their deportation is to refuse a Covid test that many countries and/or airlines require.
But, here too, the pressure is mounting in the centres: those who refuse the test are quarantined, and their expulsion is then considered to have been refused, which means that they will be accompanied by an escort at the next attempt!
Detainees’ words:
“I have a ticket for deportation tomorrow, the 21st, and yesterday I refused to take the test. They are trying to do it by all means”.
EVERYONE has a legitimate reason for wanting to leave their country.Everything is done to prevent “foreigners” from settling in our country.
Freedom of movement and settlement for all.
NO BORDER!
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COVID in a closed centre 21/01/2022
The detainees of the closed centre in Merksplas ask us to pass on their situation
Since a few days, COVID cases have been detected in their block 3. Since then, a small number of prisoners have been placed in isolation in a separate block. The 10 others in block 3 are locked in their rooms, not allowed to do anything and only allowed to “walk” for half an hour. They tell us that it is the guards, who only occasionally wear masks, who are bringing in the virus and are the source of the infections.
They want the outside world to know about the existence of these prisons for foreigners and their living conditions.
