[Report by Bo Maltesen: "Government Cannot Get Rid of Foreign Terrorism Suspects"]

Two Tunisians Awaiting Release

Two men from Tunisia are currently in prison, because PET says they planned to kill a Muhammad caricaturist.

The Refugee Appeals Board does not authorize deportation to Tunisia, because that country employs torture, according to the Board's decisions in other cases.

When the two Tunisians' appeals reach the Board in a few months' time, it is therefore expected that they will be given tolerated-stay status as well.

The two cases have created considerable politic furore, which on Wednesday [ 23 April] led to the appointment of a working group under the Integration Ministry. Among other things, the group will assess the possibility of making diplomatic-assurance agreements with countries that are known to use torture and violate human rights in other ways.

Italy Asked Tunisia for Guarantee Without Success

Tunisia most recently refused to make that kind of agreement in February, following a judgment by the European Court of Human Rights on a deportation case. Italy unsuccessfully asked Tunisia for a guarantee that a Tunisian, whom Italy wanted to expel, would not be tortured.

As one international legal expert has said: "What country would certify that it actually employs torture? Because if a country upholds human rights, there would be no need for a special agreement.

Justice Minister Lene Espersen (Conservative Party) was on a trip and unavailable for comment.

Source: Politiken website, Copenhagen, in Danish 26 Apr 08