Thursday, February 14, 2019

Silje fled to Poland where she received political asylum

Silje from Oslo is the first Norwegian citizen to receive political asylum in an EU country.

Translated from an original article in Norwegian.

By Finn-Ove Hågensen, February 14 2019

She took her half year old daughter and fled Norway for Poland in May 2017. There she received help and support.

The leader for the organization Ordu Iuris in Polen, lawyer Jerzy Kwasniewski, has helped her apply for political asylum. He tells TV 2 that the acceptance of the application is based on the official view in Poland that Silje's human rights were violated in Norway.

– The Norwegian child protection office broke article 8 of the human rights convention, which lays out rights related to family life, he tells TV 2.

Very sad

Silje feared that the child protection service would take her daughter away from her.

– I am relieved that the fight is over. However, it is very sad that I had to do this. I feel myself very badly treated by the Norwegian child protection service, she says to TV 2.

Silje is the only Norwegian citizen to have received political asylum in an EU country.

– This is a case between her and Polish authorities, and it is up to the Polish authorities to explain their decision. We have nothing further to say, states the Norwegian Foreign office in response to questions from TV 2.

Was arrested

The Norwegian child protection service does not want to comment on this case. However, Silje would have liked a formal excuse from them. During during Silje's initial stay in Poland back in 2017, she twice received letters stating that her child was to be transferred to the child protection services. Both letters were later retracted. They had called on Interpol to track her down in back in 2015. She was arrested by Spanish police in Spain, and brought back to Norway. However, the case against her was dismissed. She had engaged in no crime.

She feels that a formal excuse would be in order.

– All they need to do is say they're sorry. It doesn't take more than that, she tells TV 2.
  
Opactwo Benedyktynów w Tyńcu w zimowej szacie.jpg
Poland

By Kriksos - Own work, CC BY 3.0, Link

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