Ter Apel becomes prohibited area for unregistered asylum seekers

A new emergency regulation has been in force in Ter Apel since noon on Saturday, the security region reports. It is now forbidden for asylum seekers who are not yet registered at the application center to move around the center.

The emergency ordinance had already been announced earlier. In principle, it applies until Oct. 1. The ban does not apply to people who are already registered or people who have an appointment at the application center to register.

Hundreds of people regularly slept on the grounds in front of the application center in recent weeks. This resulted in unsafe and unhygienic situations, the safety region emphasized on Saturday.

The Netherlands Council for Refugees says the organization is "scared" by the new emergency ordinance. "The measure raises many questions," said a spokesperson.

For example, the organization wants to know whether it is allowed to prohibit asylum seekers from entering an area where other people are welcome. Furthermore, the Council for Refugees does not find the sequence of actions logical. "First make sure that there are sufficient reception places and that communication about the process is clear, before you prohibit certain people from coming to Ter Apel," a spokesperson said.