Reports | 25 05 2020
Danish police revealed complaints by women coming under harassment by refugees in three Danish districts.
This took place following demonstrations by far-right German party Pegida in the the city of Potsdam near Berlin, demanding to reveal the identity of those involved in the New Year’s Day Molestation incidents; the party suspects refugees.
German police also revealed that women were subjected to harassment in the “Refugees, Welcome" festival organized by the mayor of the city of Bonn.
For his part, the far-right “Sweden Democrats” party demanded that the harassment incidents suffered Swedish women be investigated.
A caricature in the satirical periodical Charlie Hebdo, depicted the [drowned Syrian refugee] child Alan following his tragic aftermath; above which the caricaturist sarcastically commented that, had he lived, he would have been one of the harassers.
What is the nexus between harassment cases and the asylum issue?
Have these harassment cases been opened so that the asylum file be closed?
“Feelings of anxiety and frustration have begun affecting refugees for several months, as the European policy on asylum changed.” Director of the Syrian Center in Sweden, Imad Azzouz says in his interview with Bil Mizan.
These feelings of anxiety and frustration are, thus, not related to harassment; even if this issue has certainly helped augment them, with added feelings of fear.
“Refugees in European countries mustn’t be afraid. They have become citizens, subject to the law in those countries; they will have to deal with the organizations, institutions, and individuals actively helping refugees. Their fear feeds into hard-line parties benefit, who reject their presence;” Azzouz adds.
Imad Azzouz is a human rights and political activist, who participated in political activity with a left-wing organization in the 1980s, before being forced into hiding to escape arrest; until arriving in Sweden. He heads the Syrian Center in Sweden, a legal social and human rights organization, working to help Syrians and bring Syrian and Swedish cultures closer to one another.
To listen to the entire episode:
* Bil Mizan: A joint program between Ma’akum channel of Radio Netherlands Worldwide, and Radio Rozana; in cooperation with the Syrian Center for Justice and Accountability.