Her pink bag was left in the room. The girl only managed to stay at the asylum reception for a few hours before she disappeared one night in July last year. Although the employees notified the police the next day, it was five days before she was registered as missing. The police have admitted that there was a breach of their routines. They never picked up her things. The police did not travel to meet the other asylum seekers who had spoken to the girl. They made one phone call to the asylum reception and then dropped the case. There was nothing to indicate that anything criminal had happened, they said. Then the matter took a complete turn. When news mentioned the girl who was missing, a witness came forward. She sat next to the girl on the plane to Oslo when she arrived in Norway this summer. – I recognized the pink bag and got a lump in my stomach, said the witness to news. A lawyer reported the case and the police opened an investigation on suspicion of human trafficking. But it would prove to be too late. In autumn, the case was dropped again. Mysebu asylum reception for unaccompanied minor asylum seekers. Photo: news The police are to blame for a late report – The case has been dropped due to a lack of evidence, says prosecutor Benedicte Granrud at the East police district. She explains that it was no longer possible to obtain key evidence, such as video footage. Because there were no fingerprints of the girl either, they had little information. – On a general basis, we can say that such cases are difficult to uncover in terms of experience, says Benedicte Granrud, who is responsible for the prosecution. – We therefore encourage anyone who wants to report such cases to do so as early as possible, so that it increases the likelihood of securing key evidence, she says. – Why wasn’t an investigation launched in July so that key evidence could be secured? – The report that was the basis for this case was received in September. When the girl disappeared from the reception, she was reported missing, and an investigative case was opened, not a criminal case, says Granrud. Prosecutor Benedicte Granrud. Photo: Even Bjøringsøy Johnsen / news This is the case news has previously revealed that several hundred asylum children have disappeared in recent years and the police have done little to find them. The police have been reprimanded by Egil Hove Olsvik, associate professor at the Norwegian Police Academy. He has researched the police’s handling of reports of missing asylum children. – There is often a perception that the child or young person has disappeared voluntarily. It has consequences for further investigations, Olsvik said last year. The Directorate of Police has completed inadequate work and is working to introduce a number of measures proposed by an interagency working group. In addition, the police are changing their guidelines for all types of missing person cases, stated Justice Minister Emilie Mehl (Sp) to the Storting in November. – But it is very important that we continue to follow up closely, and that the police continue to make this a high priority, Mehl said. Believes the police are discriminating Equality and discrimination ombudsman Bjørn Erik Thon believes that the case about the girl shows that the police have so far not worked well enough to change routines. He is surprised that the police neither questioned witnesses nor visited the reception after the girl was reported missing. – The failure to investigate these cases can mean differential treatment on the basis of residence status. This is cause for concern, says Thon. Bjørn Erik Thon is the equality and discrimination ombudsman in Norway. Photo: Thomas B Eckhoff The ombudsman believes that one must take a closer look at what was the basis for the police’s assessment at the time. He points out that the state has a duty to combat human trafficking of girls and women, according to the UN Committee on Discrimination against Women. – This means that the cases must be investigated effectively, without discrimination on the basis of residence status, he says. Both Thon and the Children’s Ombudsman support a proposal from SV on a package of measures for unaccompanied asylum children. One of the measures concerns the police having to investigate disappearances more thoroughly. A majority in the Storting is likely to say no to the package of measures. They and Minister of Justice Emilie Mehl (Sp) point to the fact that the Attorney General has several times asked the police to investigate disappearances better. But the Equality and Discrimination Ombudsman is concerned. – I think there is cause for concern when it comes to the Norwegian police’s investigation of these cases, says Thon. – Fingerprints should have been taken on arrival. Assistance attorney Kristine Aarre Hånes was the one who reported the case after the witness came forward. She is not surprised that the case is now closed, but directs strong criticism at the police. – When a minor is reported missing from asylum reception, the police must investigate whether criminal circumstances have occurred. Failing to do this is an unacceptable disclaimer and represents a breach of our international obligations, says Hånes. Lawyer Kristine Aarre Hånes reported the case on behalf of the girl. Photo: Ronald Hole Fossåskaret / news She believes that the girl’s case also shows that Norway is not doing enough to combat human trafficking. Furthermore, she believes that the police should have reacted differently already when they stopped the girl at passport control when she arrived in Norway by plane from Athens. – At least they should have secured the girl’s fingerprints. Then the case could have had a completely different outcome. The mere fact that the girl traveled with a fake passport should have triggered suspicion of possible human trafficking, says Hånes. Routines introduced in December East Police District will not comment further on the girl’s case, but emphasizes that they take these cases seriously, and are positive about the new routines. These were introduced in December last year, and according to the Norwegian Police Directorate, involve a digital notification from the reception and care center to the police, and an updated form that should contain more and better information. Identifying victims of human trafficking Norwegian authorities have a duty to facilitate the identification of victims, according to the Council of Europe Convention. Identification is also a prerequisite for the police and prosecution to be able to investigate and prosecute traffickers. It is the authorities who are responsible for verifying a person as a victim of human trafficking, and the person should not be expected or required to feel or behave like a victim. Human trafficking is defined as follows: “when a person, by means of violence, threats, abuse of a vulnerable situation, or other inappropriate behaviour, forces, exploits or seduces someone into prostitution or other sexual services, forced labor or forced services, for example begging, military service abroad , and removal of organs”. There are four main indicators of exploitation: Victims may have a background that gives them particular vulnerabilities to exploitation. Victims may have been observed in or belong to places that may provide vulnerability for exploitation. Victims may have a demeanor that may indicate exploitation. Victims may appear to be controlled by others. Do you suspect human trafficking? Read more at menskertilsalgs.no, Bufdir’s guide on minor victims, or call ROSA’s helpline on tel. 22331160. Source: The Coordination Unit against Human Trafficking (KOM) issued in January 2024 a guide on how to identify possible victims of human trafficking
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The police did not collect evidence when the asylum girl disappeared. Now they drop the case again. – news Vestland
