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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Maarten den Heijer

Maarten den Heijer is assistant professor of international law at the University of Amsterdam. He writes about international and European migration law and is a part-time judge in the aliens section of the Utrecht district court, The Netherlands.
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POSTS BY Maarten den Heijer

10 January 2023

Maarten den Heijer

The Dutch Asylum Policy for Russian Draft Evaders

In a one page letter of 13 December, the Dutch state secretary for immigration Eric van der Burg explained to Dutch parliament how asylum claims made by Russian draft evaders will be dealt with. The new Dutch policy makes a distinction between Russian conscripts and Russians reservists who attempt to evade the mobilisation which the Russian president announced last September. Conscripts will continue to enjoy a form of temporary protection in the Netherlands. Asylum claims of Russians who evade mobilisation will, however, be decided on an individual basis. Importantly – and controversially – the state secretary suggests that claims of the latter category may now be denied because the Russian mobilisation has been completed. Continue reading >>

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26 September 2022

Maarten den Heijer

Why EU Countries Should Open Their Borders to Russian Draft-Evaders

In a significant escalation of his war in Ukraine, Russia’s President Putin announced a partial mobilisation on the 21st of September. Attempting to avoid the draft, thousands of Russian men are reported to be fleeing the country. Are EU countries obliged to grant asylum to Russians who are (pre-emptively) evading Putin’s draft? Continue reading >>

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