Controversy after Danish police seize Iraqis in church (Roundup)

Aug 13, 2009, 12:43 GMT

Copenhagen - Danish police forced their way into a church early Thursday and detained 17 Iraqi nationals who had sought refuge there after their asylum applications had been turned down.

'I had never dreamed that something like this could happen,' Pastor Per Ramsland of the Brorson church in the Copenhagen district Norrebro told reporters, adding that the police action violated Danish traditions of church sanctuary.

Justice Minister Brian Mikkelsen however defended the police and said in a statement 'the law must be respected' and 'one should not count on special treatment even if one occupies a church.'

Copenhagen bishop Norman Svendsen said he regretted the events and has asked for information about the overnight raid where some 50 police officers took part.

Lutheran pastors that belong to a pro-asylum network also voiced concern as did human rights groups ranging from Amnesty International to the Danish Red Cross and Danish politicians including former prime minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen.

Scores of protesters gathered outside the church and some clashed with police during attempts to stop a bus transporting the young Iraqi men. Five protesters were briefly arrested.

About 60 Iraqis have sought refuge in the church since May when Denmark and Iraq signed an agreement over the repatriation of some 240 Iraqis.

At the time of the overnight raid, some 30 Iraqis were reported to be in the Brorson church. Police did not detain women, children or elderly who have left the church and sought help from friends.

Birthe Ronn Hornbech, minister for refugee, immigration and integration affairs, earlier defended the police action.

'The asylum seekers were repeatedly told they were obliged to return home and they could be sent back by force,' she said in a statement.

The repatriation agreement has been criticized since some of the affected individuals and families have been in Denmark for up to 10 years.

Human rights organizations, the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR and numerous Danish civil society groups have asked the government to allow them to stay on a humanitarian basis, citing Iraq's precarious security situation.