COPENHAGEN
\nFormer Danish immigration minister Inger Stojberg, known for her hard-line stance in that role, was handed a 60-day prison sentence on Monday by an impeachment court for having illegally ordered the separation of under-age couples seeking asylum.
\nStojberg was accused of knowingly breaking the law in 2016 by ordering the separation of all asylum-seeking refugee couples where at least one was under 18 years of age, a violation of the European Convention on Human Rights.
\nUnder Danish and human rights law, couples must be assessed individually, implying that the minister\u2019s order to separate all underage couples was illegal. A total of 23 couples were separated.
\n\u201cI\u2019m very, very surprised. I think it is the Danish values that have lost,\u201d Stojberg told reporters. \u201cI wished and still wish to protect these girls.\u201d
\nThe right-wing politician, minister from 2015-19 for the Liberal Party, has repeatedly denied giving any illegal order, saying the aim was to stamp out child marriages and protect underage girls.
\nStojberg was considered one of the main architects behind Denmark\u2019s tough immigration policies, such as allowing authorities to confiscate asylum seekers\u2019 jewelry.
\n\u201cI\u2019m going to take my punishment with my head held high,\u201d she said.
\nThe case started when a Syrian couple complained to the country\u2019s ombudsman in 2016 after they were placed in separate asylum centers. A commission launched to investigate the case, also known as the \u201cchild bride case,\u201d concluded that the order was \u201cclearly illegal.\u201d
\nTwenty five of the 26 judges agreed to convict Stojberg in only the sixth impeachment court of its kind in the Nordic country in more than 170 years and first since 1995.
\n\u201cWe are satisfied with the verdict,\u201d prosecutors Jon Lauritzen and Anne Birgitte Gammeljord told reporters. \u201cIt\u2019s a historic case.\u201d
\nThe verdict is final and cannot be appealed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
COPENHAGEN Former Danish immigration minister Inger Stojberg, known for her hard-line stance in that role, was handed a 60-day prison sentence on Monday by an impeachment court for having illegally ordered the separation of under-age couples seeking asylum. Stojberg was accused of knowingly breaking the law in 2016 by ordering the separation of all asylum-seeking […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-232730","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n