Human rights advocates and lawyers question the legality of interviews with rejected Iraqi asylum seekers

Iraqis, who have been refused asylum, have been interviewed without legal representation by an Iraqi delegation visiting Denmark.

The delegation arrived in Denmark on Monday and will interview 34 Iraqis, with the purpose of confirming their identities before accept them as part of the bilateral repatriation agreement signed earlier this year.

Lawyers representing many of those being interviewed are outraged they have not been allowed to accompany their clients and fear that their rights are being abused.

Kåre Traberg Smidt, who represents 10 of the Iraqis, said it was important he was present at the interviews to ensure they were being conducted in a proper manner.

‘Denmark has adopted conventions for the protection of individuals and minorities. So we want to know what’s happening when we allow a delegation to conduct interviews in a closed location without any witnesses,’ Smidt said to Politiken newspaper.

Many of those being interviewed by the delegation were among the men arrested at Brorson’s Church last week. They are now being held at the Ellebæk detention centre near the Sandholm Asylum Centre in North Zealand.

The National Police have so far declined to comment on the matter and also refused to say whether it was the police or the delegation that requested lawyers not to be allowed at the interviews.

The Danish Institute for Human Rights questioned the legality of the procedure and saw no reason why the lawyers should not be present.

‘We need to get clarification on whether the Iraqis have gotten the support they are entitled to. It’s our view that no more meetings should be held until the situation is clarified,’ institute director Jonas Christoffersen said.