Journalist files lawsuit against Dutch State
Ans Boersma, a Dutch journalist who was deported from Turkey last week, is filing a civil lawsuit against the Dutch State. She holds the Netherlands liable for the emotional and material damages she suffered as a result of the deportation, Nieuwsuur reports.
Boersma was deported following a number of information requests the Netherlands sent to Turkey. The Netherlands did not only request information about Boersma, but also shared information about the journalist, according to the program. This included information about her past relationship with a former member of terrorist organization Al-Nusra. This information from the Netherlands was why Turkey deported Boersma.
"I have been here for a week now and my life is completely upside down. I want my life back. I want to go back to Turkey", Boersma said to NOS.
The Public Prosecutor suspects Boersma of forgery because she helped the man tied to Al-Nusra, a 32-year-old man from Syria, with a visa application using false data in 2014. The Syrian man was arrested in the Netherlands late in 2017 on suspicion of membership to a terrorist organization. He is currently in the terrorist department of the prison in Vught, according to NOS.
"Yes, in 2014 I was involved in standing guarantee for tourist visa. This was rejected. No, I never helped anyone illegally enter Europe", Boersma said on Twitter. "Five years later I'm deported from Turkey and lost my job and home within 12 hours. There is not the slightest proof that I am guilty of any criminal offense."
Boersma worked as a correspondent for Financieele Dagblad. The newspaper ended its cooperation with her after her deportation. According to FD, this was because Boersma kept important information back from the editors multiple time and was unable to give the chief editors a good explanation for her deportation.
According to the Dutch association for journalists NVJ, the Public Prosecutor acted irresponsibly by contacting Turkey about Boersma. Freedom of the press is under pressure in the country and journalists are regularly targeted, the NVJ said, according to NU.nl.
Boersma spent a night in a deportation center in Turkey before being put on a plane back to the Netherlands. According to NU.nl, she was not allowed to go home and collect her personal belongings.