The Danish Refugee Appeals Board reopens cases concerning Dublin-transfers to Croatia

In  Denmark, DRC Danish Refugee Council provides legal representation before the Danish Refugee Appeals Board to all asylum seekers, who request our assistance in appealing a so-called Dublin-decision to transfer them to another European Member State. 

As part of our role as legal aid provider, we have reported on the grave human rights violations being committed in Croatia against asylum seekers and migrants.  In the pending cases, the applicants have experienced multiple violent push-backs, beatings and other types of violence, refusal of access to water and food – even to children and other vulnerable applicants – degrading treatment such as being stripped from all clothes. On this account, DRC advocates that Denmark should not send asylum seekers back to Croatia.  

On 24 April 2024, the Danish Refugee Appeals Board chose to suspend the processing of all appeals cases concerning Dublin-transfers to Croatia. As a consequence of the suspension, about 60 asylum seekers have waited for a very long time without a decision in their Dublin-case.  

Monday the 12th of May, The Danish Refugee Appeals Board finally lifted the suspension and will now start to process the cases. The Refugee Appeals Board has decided to overturn the decision of the Danish Immigration Service in cases registered with the Board prior to the suspension of 24 April 2024. This means that the vast majority of cases – all of whom have waited more than a year in the Dublin-procedure- will finally have their asylum cases processed on the merits in Denmark. 

For a smaller group of asylum applicants, the Refugee Appeals Board will instead refer the cases back to the Danish Immigration Service for a renewed process in the first instance. As a main rule, this will be relevant to cases registered with the Danish Refugee Appeals Board after the suspension of the 24th of April 2024. After a case has been sent back to the first instance, the Danish Immigration Service can either decide to process the asylum case on the merits or make a new Dublin-decision to transfer the person to Croatia, which can be appealed.  

DRC Danish Refugee Council is in close contact with the affected asylum seekers and happy that many of them can now have their asylum cases processed on the merits in Denmark after waiting too long in the Dublin-procedure.  

Read more about DRC's work with asylum seekers in the Dublin procedure here: Dublin and admissibility cases | DRC Danish Refugee Council