Impossible to say that we can never imprison children

Prime Minister Erna Solberg och Immigration and Integration Minister Sylvi ListhaugNew York, USA. Prime Minister Erna Solberg och Immigration and Integration Minister Sylvi Listhaug: Pontus Höök / NTB scanpix

Norway cannot sign that we should never imprison children, says Prime Minister Erna Solberg. She thinks it will make it impossible to deal with the influx of refugees.

– I do not agree that it appears as though Norway will weaken the legal rights of children.

The wording we have worked for is the same as is in the document that already ensures legal rights of children, namely the CRC, says Solberg to NTB in New York.

She responds with this to revelations that Norway has worked to remove a formulation of a UN declaration to never imprison children.

– We must keep families with children, also with children, to register them and know who they are. If not, our refugee system will not work. When all are forwarded it will break all of asylum policy in Europe altogether. We have already seen examples of this, she says.

– We must have a legal basis to keep even children. Most countries in Europe have agreed with us that we have to get this to work, says Solberg.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today