European human rights court orders Belgium to provide asylum seeker accommodation

By Alaattin Dogru

ANKARA (AA) - The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on Wednesday took an interim measure against Brussels for failing to provide a Guinean asylum seeker with accommodation.

Abdoulaye Camara, a Guinean national seeking asylum, applied to Belgian authorities for international protection on July 15, three days after his arrival. However, he was not assigned a place in a reception facility by the Federal Agency for the Reception of Asylum-Seekers (Fedasil) and has been sleeping on the streets ever since.

The ECHR said this was the first case of its kind, adding that they get similar applications.

"The Court decided to enjoin the Belgian State to enforce the order made by the Brussels French language Labour Court and to provide the applicant with accommodation and material assistance to meet his basic needs," the court said in a statement on Wednesday.

Despite a July 29 court order, the Belgian agency has not provided the Guinean asylum seeker with accommodation or basic material assistance, the statement said.

"Accordingly, on 12 October 2022 the lawyer had the order served together with a demand for payment and for compliance with the writ of enforcement," it added.

On Monday, the court decided to "indicate an interim measure and to enjoin the Belgian State to comply with the order made by the Brussels French-language Labour Court on 22 July 2022."