Baltic and Nordic Region

Baltic and Nordic Headlines

A summary of asylum and refugee-related stories in regional media.

Tuesday 31 August to Wednesday 1 September 2010

Finland

Biaudet to probe human trafficking suspicions
The office of the Ombudsman for Minorities is looking into whether the Finnish Immigration Service could be able to recognize possible cases of human trafficking as it processes family reunification applications. The Ministry of the Interior suspects that there are some cases of human trafficking among the current applications to bring foster children from Somalia, the majority of them being teen-aged girls. On Monday, Ombudsman for Minorities Eva Biaudet asked why the Immigration Service has not reported any cases to organizations that support victims of human trafficking. Under Finnish law, victims of human trafficking or even suspected victims are eligible for participation in a support system. Biaudet expects answers from the Immigration Service by 10 September.
YLE 30 August 2010 (in English)
Helsingin Sanomat 30 August 2010 (in Finnish)
Turun Sanomat 30 August 2010 (in Finnish)
Hufvudstadsbladet 30 August 2010 (in Swedish)
Vasabladet 30 August 2010 (in Swedish)
Åbo Underrättelser 30 August 2010 (in Swedish)

Somali biometric passports must be accepted
The Ministry of the Interior suggests that Somali biometric passports should be accepted in Finland as identification documents. The majority of European countries do not trust Somali biometric passports, since there is not a single trustworthy authority to issue passports in Somalia. The passports are expensive, so all arrivals in Finland have not been able to present even a regular passport. According to Astrid Thors, Minister for Migration and European Affairs, Finland has tightened the rules for family reunification. The changes came into force in the beginning of August. In 2009, 43 per cent of Somalis seeking residence in Finland were rejected. Thors says that the foster children must have had an actual care relationship with the family that wants to reunite with them, to ensure that foster children are treated as real family members.
Helsingin Sanomat 30 August 2010 (in Finnish)
Helsingin Sanomat 1 September 2010 (in Finnish)
MTV3 30 August 2010 (in Finnish)
Verkkouutiset 30 August 2010 (in Finnish)
Åbo Underrättelser 30 August 2010 (in Swedish)

The Police have no reference to human trafficking
So far the Police have not launched an investigation regarding the increased numbers of Somalis applying for family reunification for foster children. Crime inspector Per Ehrstén from the Finnish Police Board states that it is not a crime to apply to reunite with one’s foster children. The Immigration Service currently needs up to two years to process foster child applications due to applications piling up. The waiting time is illegal but no extra resources are expected to process more applications.
MTV3 30 August 2010 (in Finnish)

ECHR extends temporary stay for Egyptian grandmother
The European Court of Human Rights has extended its temporary stay of Finland's planned deportation of the Egyptian grandmother Eveline Fadayel. The Court says it will try to speed up its decision; however, it was unable to give a more specific timetable.
Fadayel was to leave Finland by mid-June, but her relatives in Finland have kept her hidden. The Finnish Immigration Service had previously denied her a residence permit as grandparents are not considered immediate family members. Fadayel has submitted a detailed medical report to the Court, which is still considering her case.
Helsingin Sanomat 30 August 2010 (in Finnish)
YLE 30 August 2010 (in Finnish)
YLE 31 August 2010 (in English)

Lithuania

Chechen couple applies for residence permit
Chechen nationals Khadidzhat Gatayeva and Malik Gatayev seek residence and additional protection in Lithuania, regardless of their asylum application in Finland. On August 24, Lithuania's Supreme Administrative Court examined Khadidzhat’s appeal against the decision made by the Migration Department to reject her application for additional protection and asylum in Lithuania. In May of 2009, a Vilnius court found the department's move legitimate. As soon as the couple receives a decision in Finland, they will consider whether they will return to Lithuania.
Baltic News Service 24 August 2010 (in English) (Subscription required)

UNHCR in the news

BBC World Service report on Iraqi asylum-seekers in Sweden
Since the fall of the regime of Saddam Hussein, many Iraqis have come to Sweden in the hope of being granted asylum. However, in 2007, a Swedish court ruled that Iraq is no longer in a state of internal conflict. Since then, over 500 Iraqis have been forcibly returned. An estimated 3000 – 4000 Iraqis, many part of the Christian-Assyrian minority, are faced with deportation and are in hiding. The Minister for Migration and Asylum Policy, Tobias Billström, says that Swedish asylum policy works on the basis of individual screening, not collective decisions. Accordingly, Sweden does not automatically grant Assyrian-Christians asylum and continues to deport those not deemed to be in need of international protection. UNHCR spokesperson Hanne Mathisen explains that, in the view of UNHCR, “persons originating from the governorates of Baghdad, Diyala, Ninewa, Salah-al-Din as well as the Kirkuk province, continue to be in need of international protection” and therefore should not be “forcibly returned”.
BBC World Service 19 August 2010 (in English)

UNHCR bears no responsibility for the accuracy and content of the press summary, which is based on external news services and does not reflect the views of UNHCR.

External Relations Unit
UNHCR Regional Office for the Baltic and Nordic Countries, Stockholm
swesteru (@)unhcr.org
To unsubscribe send an email to unsubscribe.headlines (@)balticnordic.unhcr.se