Under a new Danish law police will be allowed to search asylum seekers on arrival in the country and confiscate any non-essential items worth more than 10,000 kroner (£1,000) that have no sentimental value to their owner. The asylum seekers will themselves have to prove that the items have sentimental value by sharing personal stories to the police. Denmark’s centre-right government said the procedure is intended to cover the cost of each asylum seeker’s treatment by the state, and mimics the handling of Danish citizens on welfare. The law is also intended to make Denmark a less attractive place to settle for arriving refugees.
The UN has described the new law as concerning and regrettable. Rights campaigners have also criticised the procedure, which also prevents refugees from applying to be reunited with their children for three years, and only giving war refugees from Syria one year of protection.
In such a tense political climate, we’d like to hear from anyone living in Denmark. How do you feel about the new laws approved by the Danish parliament? How have the feelings towards refugees changed in the country in recent months? Do you feel stricter border controls are necessary, or are you disappointed that such drastic action has been taken? Are there other issues affecting people living in Denmark the government should focus on you believe are being overlooked?
Share your experiences of living in Denmark via GuardianWitness by clicking the blue ‘contribute’ button, or via the form below. We will feature the most interesting contributions on the site.
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