Almost 300 asylum seekers in the Netherlands have been wrongly registered as ‘removable’ by immigration officials even though their appeal process is still ongoing, junior justice minister Fred Teeven told MPs in a briefing.

In at least seven cases, asylum seekers have been wrongly deported and eventually brought back to the Netherlands following legal action, the minister said.

Teeven will later on Thursday answer MPs questions on the death of Russian asylum seeker Aleksander Dolmatov, who killed himself after being placed in a deportation cell. He should not have been locked up because his appeal was still pending.

Last week, a damning report said there had been numerous failings in the way Dolmatov was treated. In addition to being classified as ‘removable’, he was also denied access to proper medical care and his own lawyer.

Responsibility

On Wednesday, the national ombudsman told MPs he had repeatedly warned the justice ministry about the way asylum seekers in secure accommodation are treated.

Commentators say Teeven is likely to face calls for his resignation over the ministry and immigration service failings.

Martin Sommer wrote in the Volkskrant’s editorial: ‘Fred Teeven embodies current Dutch refugee policy. Officially that policy is tough but with room for real refugees. After the serious mistakes which led to Dolmatov’s suicide, that is no longer tenable.’

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