Denmark is set to force refugees to hand over their valuables in order to pay for their accommodation while applying for asylum, in a move the UN has warned may fuel fear and xenophobia. The Danish government has secured a parliamentary majority in favour of legislation that will severely curb the rights of refugees, and is expected to pass the legislation in parliament on Wednesday.
The bill states that asylum seekers who arrive with more than 10,000 kroner in cash “will have to [use] the surplus above 10,000 kroner to pay for their stay”, Danish government spokesman Marcus Knuth told the Guardian.
After criticism of an earlier draft of the law, refugees will no longer have to give up items of sentimental value, such as wedding rings, or items deemed as essential, such as watches. Gold bullion could still be seized, but Knuth said that in the case of any dispute of sentimental value, the asylum seeker would have the final say.
Responding to comparisons between the new law and the treatment of Jews during the Holocaust, Knuth said the claim was “ludicrous” because similar laws apply to Danish citizens on welfare benefits. “We’re simply applying the same rules we apply to Danish citizens who wish to take money from the Danish government,” he said. » | Patrick Kingsley Migration correspondent | Tuesday, January 12, 2016
