The deportation of a 54-year-old Afghan man who had lived legally in the Netherlands for 18 years involved both ‘violence’ and ‘restraints’, despite official assurances to the contrary.

Last week, junior justice minister Fred Teeven told parliament the deportation had only involved ‘restraints’, in line with the ‘valid instructions’ for deportations.

However, the official report on Feda Amiri showed the man was ‘forcibly removed’ from the aircraft because he was resisting his deportation, Trouw reports.

Body cuff

He was then placed in what is known as a body cuff. This involves the person being placed face down on the floor and having his legs tied to his back. He was then carried back on to the KLM plane. The document says tie wraps were also used to restrain him, but does not say how.

The restraints were removed once Amiri had calmed down, some 75 minutes later.

Teeven told parliament last week restraints are used to guarantee calm and safety inside the airplane. However, the military police report states force and the body cuff were used to ensure the deportation was able to go ahead.

Kabul

Amiri’s lawyer Bart Toemen told Trouw that this is against the rules.

A second report makes no mention of the restraints but says Amiri phoned family and contacts in Afghanistan during the flight and walked through passport checks into the baggage reclaim area.

What happened to Amiri after his arrival in Kabul is unknown. According to his daughter, who visited him, he is being treated in hospital but it is unclear what for. According to some reports, he was injured during his deportation although the official reports make no mention of this.

Nationality

Amiri was given an indefinite residency permit in 2000 and applied for Dutch nationality in 2006.

That was refused because Amiri had worked as an officer for the Afghan police during the period of Soviet rule. The Netherlands considers everyone who worked for the police as a potential torturer and refuses them the right to asylum.

His permit was then withdrawn and he was approved for deportation. His wife and three children, who are all in their 20s, remain in the Netherlands.