Netherlands to deport Syrian accused of spying in Germany

A Syrian man who was caught spying in Germany for the Syrian state security service must be deported from the Netherlands, where he applied for asylum, the court in Middelburg ruled. He is also banned from entering the Netherlands for ten years, NU.nl reports.

The man came through Germany to the Netherlands in 2017. His wife and children were already in the Netherlands and he came to join them. According to the court, during his stay in Germany, the man passed information about Syrian opposition members residing in Germany to the Syrian security service.

According to the Ministry of Justice and Security, the Syrian security service is guilty of widespread arrests and torture. The man therefore poses a danger to public order and security in the Netherlands, the Ministry said, according to the newspaper.

The United Nations Refugee Convention states that persons who have committed war crimes or crimes against peace or against humanity will not be granted asylum.