SEM knows the scam: Turks try to obtain asylum using false arrest warrants

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Between January and October, almost 5,800 Turks applied for asylum in Switzerland. This makes Turkey, after Afghanistan, the country where the second most asylum seekers currently come from.

As CH Media newspapers report, some Turkish asylum seekers are trying to obtain asylum status in Switzerland by using forged documents. There are reports of false arrest warrants being filed by Turks to prove persecution in their home country. Persecution – for example because of political beliefs or beliefs – is a condition before someone is recognized as a refugee and therefore granted asylum.

Corrupt officials issue documents

A Turkish refugee tells CH Media how the scam is supposed to work. The Turks allegedly pretended to be members of the banned Turkish workers’ party PKK. They receive the false arrest warrants through an office that has contact with corrupt lawyers, who in turn have contact with corrupt Turkish prosecutors. The bribed officials would issue these and remove them as soon as the asylum application was approved.

The asylum seekers are expected to pay several thousand francs for this. This fraud has also been a topic of discussion in the Turkish media. In addition to false arrest warrants, fictitious search warrants would also be issued.

According to the source quoted by CH Media, several asylum seekers have managed to obtain asylum in Switzerland in this way. It is unclear whether this is true. And how many asylum seekers try to obtain refugee status in this way.

SEM detects fraud

When contacted by CH Media, the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) announced that it had recognized the fraud. It is said that the specialists could “clearly prove” this manipulation. The SEM leaves open how and since when; they don’t want the fraudsters to learn from it.

After the failed coup against the Turkish government in 2016, almost 87 percent of Turkish asylum applications were granted, but today that is only half. According to SEM, the number of unlawful requests has increased. (lha)

Source:Blick