At 16:00 CET this afternoon the Palestinian asylum seeker, who was arrested a few days ago outside The Palestinian Camp in Oslo, be deported by Norwegian police to the West bank. This is done despite UNHCR’s statements saying noone should be returned there.

• The Palestinians are used to be treated as second-class humans. They are born as second-class humans, and they have grown up as second class humans. They are now being deported by the Norwegian government as second-class humans to the life of occupation they have fled from, says Kari Helene Partapuoli, leader at Norwegian Centre against Racism.

• The legal protection for this group of asylum seekers is to a great extent a farce. Not only is UDI acting in conflict with the guidelines from UN in the majority of the cases. There is hardly a realistic handling of appeals: In 2010 The Norwegian Immigration Appeals Board only approved one of 299 Palestinian cases. This is the memory Mohammad takes with him from Norway.

• This is another victory for a harsh, UN-conflicting asylum politics, and yet another setback for a humane and solidary asylum system, says Partapuoli.

• We do not believe the Norwegian people support this harsh treatment of Palestinians. Our contact with the population have shown us a totally different humanity and solidarity. We are just asking for the Norwegian government to show the same humanity and solidarity with a people who are fleeing.

Contact persons:

- Mohamed Ganam, Spokesperson for The Palestinian Camp. Phone: +47 45 55 50 25.
- Kari Helene Partapuoli, leader of Norwegian Centre against Racism. Phone: +47  41 32 49 02.