European human rights organization criticizes Denmark for treatment of refugees

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AA) - A leading European human rights organization expressed reservations about Denmark’s treatment of refugees and the disabled in a report Thursday.

The Council of Europe, an international organization that aims to promote democracy, the rule of law and human rights, criticized Copenhagen for its failed attempt to move the asylum process to a third country.

The human rights body, which does not work under the mandate of the EU, also highlighted Denmark’s questionable ambition to send refugees to their country of origin rather than making an attempt to integrate them into Danish society.

The report criticized the Danish system of detaining rejected asylum seekers in departure centers for not holding a legal residence permit, which it said, “has a major impact on mental health and well-being, but also on life opportunities."

The report recommended that authorities continue “to prioritise and step up action to drastically reduce the use of all forms of coercion, and end the use of any coercion that may amount to ill treatment, including in relation to the use of long-term belt restraints. There should be no form of coercion used against children.”

“At the end of August 2023, 38,899 residence permits had been granted under the Special Act on displaced persons from Ukraine,” it noted.