Child refugees wind up in prison

A growing number of child refugees arriving in Denmark unaccompanied by their parents wind up in jail.

This year alone, Save the Children Denmark has knowledge of 16 children who have been remanded in custody for up to 60 days. The reason is that they have been in possession of forged documents.

Some have been consigned to alternative detention facilities, while others wind up in regular prisons such as Vestre Fængsel.

Surprised by new practice
That practice comes as a surprise to Jonas Christoffersen, director of the Danish Institute for Human Rights.

- I am surprised that children are apparently detained in custody in this fashion. That is something the Ministry for Refugee, Immigration and Integration Affairs will have to explain. They will have to explain how often this happens, and for how long these children are detained, says Jonas Christoffersen.

When the child refugees have been imprisoned for up to 60 days, they are transferred to the Danish Red Cross asylum system, where they get the help that they need.

Calls is absurd
- It seems entirely absurd that child refugees are jailed simply for travelling on forged documents, says Gitte Nielsen, who is leader of the Red Cross asylum division's child center. She acknowledges that travelling on forged documents is illegal.

- But it is almost in the nature of their situation that this is a way for them to get to Denmark, says Gitte Nielsen.

Translated by Martin Lamberth