[Music] [Applause]
yup inna sunny day winter day in
yup inna sunny day winter day in Helsinki a nice day I was just hanging
Helsinki a nice day I was just hanging
Helsinki a nice day I was just hanging around with my friends chatting when
around with my friends chatting when
around with my friends chatting when people around us started running I
people around us started running I
people around us started running I wasn’t sure where they were going or why
wasn’t sure where they were going or why
wasn’t sure where they were going or why but I started running too then I saw
but I started running too then I saw
but I started running too then I saw someone lying on the ground
someone lying on the ground
someone lying on the ground oh my god it’s Nasir I thought I held
oh my god it’s Nasir I thought I held
oh my god it’s Nasir I thought I held his hand as we waited for an ambulance
his hand as we waited for an ambulance
his hand as we waited for an ambulance little by little I understood what had
little by little I understood what had
little by little I understood what had happened Nazir had climbed up a tree and
happened Nazir had climbed up a tree and
happened Nazir had climbed up a tree and tried to hang himself
he had come to Finland as an asylum
he had come to Finland as an asylum seeker and that morning he had been
seeker and that morning he had been
seeker and that morning he had been thrown out from his refugee camp and he
thrown out from his refugee camp and he
thrown out from his refugee camp and he had nowhere to go
had nowhere to go
had nowhere to go no hope for him it was life-changing
no hope for him it was life-changing
no hope for him it was life-changing and for me as a as a friend and a human
and for me as a as a friend and a human
and for me as a as a friend and a human rights advocate it was a defining moment
it’s only about two years since I became
it’s only about two years since I became a human rights advocate I had been
a human rights advocate I had been
a human rights advocate I had been researching migration for many years but
researching migration for many years but
researching migration for many years but when more people started arriving to
when more people started arriving to
when more people started arriving to Europe I realized this is what I had
Europe I realized this is what I had
Europe I realized this is what I had been studying for so when terrific when
been studying for so when terrific when
been studying for so when terrific when the so called refugee crisis unfolded I
the so called refugee crisis unfolded I
the so called refugee crisis unfolded I was in Greece receiving the boats and
was in Greece receiving the boats and
was in Greece receiving the boats and distributing what was needed in the
distributing what was needed in the
distributing what was needed in the refugee camps seeking and seeking asylum
refugee camps seeking and seeking asylum
refugee camps seeking and seeking asylum means leaving behind everything you’ve
means leaving behind everything you’ve
means leaving behind everything you’ve ever known your own home your house your
ever known your own home your house your
ever known your own home your house your belongings maybe even your family you do
belongings maybe even your family you do
belongings maybe even your family you do it because there’s no way going back but
it because there’s no way going back but
it because there’s no way going back but what’s keep you what keeps you going is
what’s keep you what keeps you going is
what’s keep you what keeps you going is the hope that maybe you find a place
the hope that maybe you find a place
the hope that maybe you find a place where you can walk safely on the street
where you can walk safely on the street
say please speak freely but on your mind
say please speak freely but on your mind I love whoever you choose a place where
I love whoever you choose a place where
I love whoever you choose a place where there is justice and rights and future
there is justice and rights and future
there is justice and rights and future and hope in 2015 also Finland my home
and hope in 2015 also Finland my home
and hope in 2015 also Finland my home country started seeing more asylum
country started seeing more asylum
country started seeing more asylum applications I’ve always thought that
applications I’ve always thought that
applications I’ve always thought that Finland is a place of equality and human
Finland is a place of equality and human
Finland is a place of equality and human rights and I also saw it in practice
rights and I also saw it in practice
rights and I also saw it in practice when people open regular people opened
when people open regular people opened
when people open regular people opened their homes and their hearts to those
their homes and their hearts to those
their homes and their hearts to those who need it the most not everybody was
who need it the most not everybody was
who need it the most not everybody was welcoming the newcomers though we
welcoming the newcomers though we
welcoming the newcomers though we started hearing more and more that the
started hearing more and more that the
started hearing more and more that the asylum seekers only came to Finland for
asylum seekers only came to Finland for
asylum seekers only came to Finland for a holiday that they only came to collect
a holiday that they only came to collect
a holiday that they only came to collect our social benefits and take all women
then we started hearing that something
then we started hearing that something strange was going on with the asylum
strange was going on with the asylum
strange was going on with the asylum decisions the people who would have been
decisions the people who would have been
decisions the people who would have been previously granted asylum or now denied
previously granted asylum or now denied
previously granted asylum or now denied it even brothers who had similar cases
it even brothers who had similar cases
it even brothers who had similar cases the one who came first was given asylum
the one who came first was given asylum
the one who came first was given asylum and the other who came maybe a month
and the other who came maybe a month
and the other who came maybe a month later was denied it sure s is a
later was denied it sure s is a
later was denied it sure s is a political activist from Iran he had
political activist from Iran he had
political activist from Iran he had given up Islam and was working to make
given up Islam and was working to make
given up Islam and was working to make Iran a democratic state separating the
Iran a democratic state separating the
Iran a democratic state separating the state and religion and also pushing to
state and religion and also pushing to
state and religion and also pushing to make Kurdistan autonomous
make Kurdistan autonomous
make Kurdistan autonomous this is a really rain dangerous working
this is a really rain dangerous working
this is a really rain dangerous working unit in Iran and like many others
unit in Iran and like many others
unit in Iran and like many others working to make Iran more equal he was
working to make Iran more equal he was
working to make Iran more equal he was caught by the secret police and tortured
caught by the secret police and tortured
caught by the secret police and tortured for many days when he got out the secret
for many days when he got out the secret
for many days when he got out the secret police was still after him so when he
police was still after him so when he
police was still after him so when he came to Finland his case to get asylum
came to Finland his case to get asylum
came to Finland his case to get asylum should have been a strong one
should have been a strong one
should have been a strong one he ticked all the boxes that are
he ticked all the boxes that are
he ticked all the boxes that are required to be granted asylum still he
required to be granted asylum still he
required to be granted asylum still he was denied it
Finland replied to the people coming in
Finland replied to the people coming in by making its lost more strict the
by making its lost more strict the
by making its lost more strict the changes didn’t feel that big at first
changes didn’t feel that big at first
changes didn’t feel that big at first just a little tweak here and a little
just a little tweak here and a little
just a little tweak here and a little tweak there but the effects were drastic
tweak there but the effects were drastic
tweak there but the effects were drastic you see her what happened to the
you see her what happened to the
you see her what happened to the percentage of asylums given to Iraqis
percentage of asylums given to Iraqis
percentage of asylums given to Iraqis when the changes were made the number of
when the changes were made the number of
when the changes were made the number of asylums granted went from 80 percent in
asylums granted went from 80 percent in
asylums granted went from 80 percent in 2015 to only 16 percent in mid 2016
these changes were accompanied by
these changes were accompanied by changes in the way Asylum decisions were
changes in the way Asylum decisions were
changes in the way Asylum decisions were made
made
made research shows that asylum decisions
research shows that asylum decisions
research shows that asylum decisions were sloppy poorly justified and based
were sloppy poorly justified and based
were sloppy poorly justified and based on insufficient country information
Hassan used to work in the Iraqi army as
Hassan used to work in the Iraqi army as a cook when he had his interview at the
a cook when he had his interview at the
a cook when he had his interview at the Finnish Immigration Service he had to
Finnish Immigration Service he had to
Finnish Immigration Service he had to rely on an interpreter because he didn’t
rely on an interpreter because he didn’t
rely on an interpreter because he didn’t speak much Finnish the interpreter
speak much Finnish the interpreter
speak much Finnish the interpreter translated that he had been given
translated that he had been given
translated that he had been given special military training the
special military training the
special military training the Immigration Service concluded that it
Immigration Service concluded that it
Immigration Service concluded that it was unlikely that he had been working in
was unlikely that he had been working in
was unlikely that he had been working in the army as a cook after being given
the army as a cook after being given
the army as a cook after being given special military training that made his
special military training that made his
special military training that made his whole story from illogical and
whole story from illogical and
whole story from illogical and unreliable and he was denied Asylum both
unreliable and he was denied Asylum both
unreliable and he was denied Asylum both the Immigration Service and her son’s
the Immigration Service and her son’s
the Immigration Service and her son’s lawyer failed to notice this crucial
lawyer failed to notice this crucial
lawyer failed to notice this crucial mistake in translation
Ayisha came to Finland because her
Ayisha came to Finland because her father Ahmet and the whole family had
father Ahmet and the whole family had
father Ahmet and the whole family had been threatened ah chametz persecutors
been threatened ah chametz persecutors
been threatened ah chametz persecutors had told him that if they can’t get him
had told him that if they can’t get him
had told him that if they can’t get him they will get one of his family
they will get one of his family
they will get one of his family specifically they had said that they
specifically they had said that they
specifically they had said that they will catch his wife or his daughter and
will catch his wife or his daughter and
will catch his wife or his daughter and rape and kill them but the decision from
rape and kill them but the decision from
rape and kill them but the decision from the Immigration Service came I met his
the Immigration Service came I met his
the Immigration Service came I met his wife and old underage children were
wife and old underage children were
wife and old underage children were given asylum but I sure was not because
given asylum but I sure was not because
given asylum but I sure was not because she was over 18 and therefore no longer
she was over 18 and therefore no longer
she was over 18 and therefore no longer considered the part of the family in
considered the part of the family in
considered the part of the family in Finland sure as the political advocate
Finland sure as the political advocate
Finland sure as the political advocate from EDA
from EDA
from EDA Iran who had been tortured by the secret
Iran who had been tortured by the secret
Iran who had been tortured by the secret police was also denied Asylum the
police was also denied Asylum the
police was also denied Asylum the Immigration Service said that he is that
Immigration Service said that he is that
Immigration Service said that he is that the Immigration Service did not believe
the Immigration Service did not believe
the Immigration Service did not believe that he had been tortured because the
that he had been tortured because the
that he had been tortured because the way he talked about it was not was not
way he talked about it was not was not
way he talked about it was not was not detailed and emotional enough
psychologists say that this is very
psychologists say that this is very common when torture victims talk about
common when torture victims talk about
common when torture victims talk about what happened to them the memories are
what happened to them the memories are
what happened to them the memories are so horrible that their minds don’t let
so horrible that their minds don’t let
so horrible that their minds don’t let the people revisit them they eat just
the people revisit them they eat just
the people revisit them they eat just hey it hurts too much the Immigration
hey it hurts too much the Immigration
hey it hurts too much the Immigration Service did believe however that Trez
Service did believe however that Trez
Service did believe however that Trez have left Islam but they said that it
have left Islam but they said that it
have left Islam but they said that it was still safe for him to go back to the
was still safe for him to go back to the
was still safe for him to go back to the theatre critic Iran because Iran had not
theatre critic Iran because Iran had not
theatre critic Iran because Iran had not executed that many people for religious
executed that many people for religious
executed that many people for religious reasons in the past couple of years in
reasons in the past couple of years in
reasons in the past couple of years in 2016 out of all the countries in the
2016 out of all the countries in the
2016 out of all the countries in the world
world
world Iran was number it was the second in the
Iran was number it was the second in the
Iran was number it was the second in the number of executions carried out
the number of faulty asylum petitions in
the number of faulty asylum petitions in Finland has become a twin has increased
Finland has become a twin has increased
Finland has become a twin has increased by 20 times in just two years when the
by 20 times in just two years when the
by 20 times in just two years when the decisions first started rolling in the
decisions first started rolling in the
decisions first started rolling in the idealist in May wanted to think that
idealist in May wanted to think that
idealist in May wanted to think that it’s just a mistake that is because of
it’s just a mistake that is because of
it’s just a mistake that is because of the inexperienced staff it’s aunt
the inexperienced staff it’s aunt
the inexperienced staff it’s aunt because of the unforeseen rush in
because of the unforeseen rush in
because of the unforeseen rush in processing test applications and if we
processing test applications and if we
processing test applications and if we just bring these problems into light
just bring these problems into light
just bring these problems into light they will be fixed that wasn’t the case
they will be fixed that wasn’t the case
they will be fixed that wasn’t the case instead the decisions makers
instead the decisions makers
instead the decisions makers decision-makers told us not to worry
decision-makers told us not to worry
decision-makers told us not to worry everything is ok yes the mistakes have
everything is ok yes the mistakes have
everything is ok yes the mistakes have been made but they have been corrected
been made but they have been corrected
been made but they have been corrected and nobody is sent back if it’s not safe
and nobody is sent back if it’s not safe
and nobody is sent back if it’s not safe for them to return originally this was
for them to return originally this was
for them to return originally this was supposed to be a two-person talk I was
supposed to be a two-person talk I was
supposed to be a two-person talk I was supposed to talk with my friend Daniel
supposed to talk with my friend Daniel
supposed to talk with my friend Daniel who came to Finland as an asylum seeker
who came to Finland as an asylum seeker
who came to Finland as an asylum seeker in 2015 when I first asked him to do
in 2015 when I first asked him to do
in 2015 when I first asked him to do this talk with me he said yes I’ll do it
this talk with me he said yes I’ll do it
this talk with me he said yes I’ll do it we knew that this kind of publicity
we knew that this kind of publicity
we knew that this kind of publicity could be dangerous for him so we planned
could be dangerous for him so we planned
could be dangerous for him so we planned to take all the precautions needed to
to take all the precautions needed to
to take all the precautions needed to keep his identity hidden but in the end
keep his identity hidden but in the end
keep his identity hidden but in the end he still decided that it was too
he still decided that it was too
he still decided that it was too dangerous for him to talk because the
dangerous for him to talk because the
dangerous for him to talk because the persecutors are still after him and his
persecutors are still after him and his
persecutors are still after him and his family meanwhile finished Immigration
family meanwhile finished Immigration
family meanwhile finished Immigration Service says that it’s safe for him to
Service says that it’s safe for him to
Service says that it’s safe for him to return home if someone would have told
return home if someone would have told
return home if someone would have told me three years ago that this is what’s
me three years ago that this is what’s
me three years ago that this is what’s happening in Finland right now I
happening in Finland right now I
happening in Finland right now I wouldn’t have believed it
wouldn’t have believed it
wouldn’t have believed it because this is Finland you know things
because this is Finland you know things
because this is Finland you know things like this are not supposed to happen in
like this are not supposed to happen in
like this are not supposed to happen in this clean neat and humane country that
this clean neat and humane country that
this clean neat and humane country that moment when I sat by Hassan after he had
moment when I sat by Hassan after he had
moment when I sat by Hassan after he had just tried to hang himself and sorry
just tried to hang himself and sorry
just tried to hang himself and sorry That moment when I sat by Nazir as he
That moment when I sat by Nazir as he
That moment when I sat by Nazir as he had just tried to kill himself it showed
had just tried to kill himself it showed
had just tried to kill himself it showed me all the disbelief and desperation
me all the disbelief and desperation
me all the disbelief and desperation that our immigration politics are
that our immigration politics are
that our immigration politics are causing this is the crisis but maybe
causing this is the crisis but maybe
causing this is the crisis but maybe even more important was what happened
even more important was what happened
even more important was what happened afterwards people express their
afterwards people express their
afterwards people express their condolences that Nazir had not succeeded
condolences that Nazir had not succeeded
condolences that Nazir had not succeeded in killing himself one police officer
in killing himself one police officer
in killing himself one police officer proton line they are not good even at
proton line they are not good even at
proton line they are not good even at that they wished Nazir had died opening
that they wished Nazir had died opening
that they wished Nazir had died opening your eyes do these things can be really
your eyes do these things can be really
your eyes do these things can be really painful it was for me for years I looked
painful it was for me for years I looked
painful it was for me for years I looked at these things from a removed
at these things from a removed
at these things from a removed theoretical perspective but now I still
theoretical perspective but now I still
theoretical perspective but now I still come to see the human side of it the
come to see the human side of it the
come to see the human side of it the disappointment and disbelief when
disappointment and disbelief when
disappointment and disbelief when somebody some official tells you it’s
somebody some official tells you it’s
somebody some official tells you it’s safe to go back when you know it’s not
safe to go back when you know it’s not
safe to go back when you know it’s not and the desperation when there’s no no
and the desperation when there’s no no
and the desperation when there’s no no place to go still I wouldn’t change it
place to go still I wouldn’t change it
place to go still I wouldn’t change it for a thing working with asylum seekers
for a thing working with asylum seekers
for a thing working with asylum seekers has been the most amazing horrible
has been the most amazing horrible
has been the most amazing horrible heartbreaking and the most important
heartbreaking and the most important
heartbreaking and the most important thing I’ve ever done
thing I’ve ever done
thing I’ve ever done a few weeks ago and a funny witness day
a few weeks ago and a funny witness day
a few weeks ago and a funny witness day Aisha the daughter of Abbot was granted
Aisha the daughter of Abbot was granted
Aisha the daughter of Abbot was granted asylum her decision had been deemed
asylum her decision had been deemed
asylum her decision had been deemed faulty and almost after a year later
faulty and almost after a year later
faulty and almost after a year later than than her family she finally got it
than than her family she finally got it
than than her family she finally got it she got her Asylum but on that very same
she got her Asylum but on that very same
she got her Asylum but on that very same day Hassan the army cook was deported
day Hassan the army cook was deported
day Hassan the army cook was deported we found the translation errors in his
we found the translation errors in his
we found the translation errors in his process too late and he never got a
process too late and he never got a
process too late and he never got a proper Asylum process it was horrible
proper Asylum process it was horrible
proper Asylum process it was horrible but what keeps me going is knowing that
but what keeps me going is knowing that
but what keeps me going is knowing that he was not deported without anyone
he was not deported without anyone
he was not deported without anyone noticing or caring
maybe you’re now asking yourselves what
maybe you’re now asking yourselves what happened to Nazir who tried to hang
happened to Nazir who tried to hang
happened to Nazir who tried to hang himself what happened to sure s
himself what happened to sure s
himself what happened to sure s political advocate who had been tortured
political advocate who had been tortured
political advocate who had been tortured by the Iranian secret police what
by the Iranian secret police what
by the Iranian secret police what happened to Daniel who was supposed to
happened to Daniel who was supposed to
happened to Daniel who was supposed to stand next to me today this is the very
stand next to me today this is the very
stand next to me today this is the very same question each and what every one of
same question each and what every one of
same question each and what every one of them and countless others in Europe are
them and countless others in Europe are
them and countless others in Europe are asking themselves every hour of every
asking themselves every hour of every
asking themselves every hour of every day what will happen to me and to my
day what will happen to me and to my
day what will happen to me and to my loved ones this is the crisis
closing your eyes to these things
closing your eyes to these things doesn’t make the unjustice go away if
doesn’t make the unjustice go away if
doesn’t make the unjustice go away if access it’s quite opposite when too many
access it’s quite opposite when too many
access it’s quite opposite when too many people close their eyes fast that allows
people close their eyes fast that allows
people close their eyes fast that allows the injustice to continue the first step
the injustice to continue the first step
the injustice to continue the first step in tain in making the change is to see
in tain in making the change is to see
in tain in making the change is to see it please open your eyes
”
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