Netherlands may deport two Armenian children to Armenia

YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS. By the decision of the court of Utrechtcity of the Netherlands, two Armenian children, Lily (11) and Howick (12), can be sent back to their mother’s home country, Armenia, Dutch News reports.

Armina Hambartsjumian, the mother of the two kids, was sent back to Armenia in August 2017 after sending the children to a secret address. They were found a week later and have been in the care of an independent foundation which looks after child refugees since then.

The Utrecht court upheld former justice minister Klaas Dijkhoff’s decision not to give the children a residency permit on the basis of ‘temporary humanitarian grounds’, clearing the way for them to be deported.

The kids were born in Russia and lived in the Netherlands for 9 years. They have never lived in Armenia and do not speak the language. However, they have not qualified for the government’s amnesty for child refugees.

The Dutch child protection council Raad voor de Kinderbescherming said it is expected the children’s mother would be able to look after them.

English translator/editor – Aneta Harutyunyan