STOCKHOLM (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Following the release of a video of a Syrian youngster on the internet, Swedish social services have been accused of purposely taking Syrian children from their families.
In a different tale, a Syrian family requested assistance from human rights organisations after their four children, aged three to nine, were taken by social services over three years ago. According to the Middle East Eye, Diab Talal and his wife Amal Sheikho arrived in Sweden in early months of 2017 as he UN’s Syrian refugee resettlement programme’s part.
The sources say social services took away the four Syrian children. This happened after their 7-year-old daughter said that she was beaten by them.
Diab said he tried hiring legal help to prove that the children were not beaten, through police and hospital reports but 3 months later, ‘The Social’ office insisted that his wife suffered from severe depression and wasn’t ready for caregiving although she had visited a psychiatrist who proved that she was not suffering from any psychological problems.
The children were handed to Swedish families, according to Syrian Unique News Agency (SUNA), and their real parents did not have the permission to see them. Only via images posted on social media could they see their children.
The heartbroken couple’s suffering did not end yet; the mother was pregnant and was told by the Social Supervisors that she wasn’t allowed to leave the country until she gave birth. The baby would be adopted soon after. In case they failed to find a family who was ready for adoption, she would be forced to abort the foetus.
Thousands of individuals have used the hashtag “#StopkidnappingourChildren – #اوقفوا_خطف_اطفالنا”” to show their support for the Syrian family on social media. The United Nations has been urged by people to intervene and request that Sweden release Syrian children to their parents.
Human rights advocates and activists have slammed the social services of Sweden for separating Syrian children from their families. Others alleged that Sweden is simply trying to persuade Syrian families to leave by denying them access to their children.
Swedish authorities, in response, justified the separation of the children, claiming that Social Services was there to protect children’s rights because these children had been taken as a result of psychological and physical abuse, as well as allegations of parental ineptitude.
“First of all; Sweden has very strong legislation in order to protect the welfare of children.” a Swedish Public Prosecutor clarified on the matter.
