Joost is free!

On 20 May 2024, Joost was put on a plane, heading to Bulgaria. He was bodycuffed, his feet were bound with tieribs, and the border police were pushing him down and shutting his mouth. But he fought back, with the support of two passengers. Now he is free!

In his own words: ‘They flattened me, closed my mouth, and hit me on my face, stomach, my waist and chest. I started asking them for some oxygen and for them to keep their hands away from my nose and mouth so that I could breathe. The flight attendant and some passengers started shouting until they stopped the plane and the ambulance arrived. I fainted at that time.’

Joost can continue his asylum procedure in the Netherlands. The brutal violence he experienced led to media attention, parliamentary questions, and he is filing complaints against the responsible authorities.