LGBTQ failed asylum seekers won’t be sent to Uganda deportation center, minister claims

People from the LGBTQ community will not be forcibly sent to Uganda under new plans to return asylum seekers from that region who are not permitted to stay in the Netherlands, interim minister David van Weel (Asylum, Foreign Affairs) has confirmed. This protection also extends to other groups at risk of persecution under Ugandan laws that do not meet Dutch human rights standards.

During a debate in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament, the VVD minister said that the Netherlands has a responsibility for people at risk of persecution in Uganda. While he recognized MPs’ concerns over human rights in the country, he stressed that the Netherlands’ relationship with Uganda allows for dialogue on these issues.

Van Weel reached an agreement with Uganda last week. Van Weel said he could reveal little about the memorandum of understanding at Uganda’s request and that he would only make details public once the deal is officially finalized.

The agreement stated that the asylum seekers would be kept in Uganda temporarily before returning to their country of origin. The scheme is designed for situations where voluntary return isn’t possible and deportation to the country of origin cannot be carried out. The plan aims to launch a small pilot project with a transit center for a limited number of rejected asylum seekers.

The announcement of the agreement has drawn mixed responses. Amnesty International criticized the plan due to Uganda’s human rights record. Meanwhile, members of parliament have raised questions about the deal’s specifics, including the scope of the region it applies to.