In the case of 12-year-old Sonia, the Zurich District Court has now ruled that the girl should be deported after all. She is to be taken from her father's family here in Switzerland and deported to her 89-year-old grandfather in Nigeria.
Her father has already appealed this verdict, so Sonia is allowed to stay until the appeal is filed. Nevertheless, the girl understandably fears for her future.
Once again, Swiss courts show no compassion, no understanding, and stubbornly insist on fulfilling their obligations. Shouldn't the well-being of our children be paramount? Shouldn't all other considerations take a back seat to this?
Read here what the VeV has to say about it!
The Rundschau reported on Sonja yesterday.
The newspaper 20 Minuten is also reporting on this case today.
Over the past few months, we at VeV have repeatedly advocated for children threatened with deportation or repatriation. We believe that in these cases, the authorities and courts far too often base their decisions on dubious considerations instead of prioritizing the child's welfare. This attitude is also frequently encountered in divorce rulings. The suspicion is growing that the state is not primarily concerned with the child's well-being, but rather with the state coffers. Or should this capitulation by the Zurich District Court to immigration policy be interpreted as such, so soon after the Wahlen?
The VeV has an open letter to the Zurich State Chancellery.