Saturday, January 16, 2016

Switzerland seizing assets from refugees to cover costs...

Refugees arriving in Switzerland have to turn over to the state any assets worth more than 1,000 Swiss francs (£690) to help pay for their upkeep, the broadcaster SRF has reported.

SRF’s 10 vor 10 news programme showed a receipt a Syrian refugee said he received from authorities when he had to turn over more than half the cash his family had left after paying traffickers to help them get to the neutral Alpine country.

It also showed an information sheet for refugees that stated: “If you have property worth more than 1,000 Swiss francs when you arrive at a reception centre you are required to give up these financial assets in return for a receipt.”

Stefan Frey, from refugee aid group Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe, was quoted as saying: “This is undignified ... This has to change.”

Swiss authorities rejected criticism of the practice, saying it was based on a decades-old law and only applied in a fraction of cases. Authorities also noted that the law called for asylum seekers and refugees to contribute where possible to the cost of processing their applications and providing social assistance. Full story...

Related posts:
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  2. You're not owed asylum...
  3. Slovakia vows to refuse entry to Muslim migrants...
  4. Czech leader calls migrant wave in Europe an 'organised invasion'
  5. Money talks: Norway ‘paying’ asylum-seekers to leave country...
  6. So Bob Geldof, where are your refugees?

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