Blocage expertise de l'âge osseux en Finlande

Age testing to a halt due to lack of guidelines

The police in Southern Carelia Region in South Eastern Finland has stopped age tests on young asylum-seekers. The decision was made after a statement from Deputy-Ombudsman Jukka Lindstedt, according to which the tests are questionable as there are not laws or guidelines in place as to who can perform the tests and using which methods. According to Minister of Immigration Astrid Thors, the tests do not violate basic rights and can be carried out if the person being tested agrees to it. However, the minister promised to start a process to formulate a new law regarding the tests, but it will not be ready until this autumn the earliest. Last year Finland received 706 minor asylum-seekers, and this year the number is already 260. Stopping the test might lead to even longer queues in the asylum process and place further pressure on overcrowded reception centres.

YLE 28 May 2009 (in Finnish)

http://www.yle.fi/uutiset/alueelliset_uutiset/etela-karjala/2009/05/poliisi_on_keskeyttanyt_turvapaikanhakijoiden_ikatestit_761810.html