“No measures are being taken to safeguard the children of IS fighters”

The N-VA finds it incomprehensible that no guidelines exist to deprive IS fighters of parental rights. “In less dangerous situations, parents are deprived of their parental rights over their children, but here, apparently no steps are being taken to safeguard the children.”

Child in danger

Parents can be deprived of their parental rights if they endanger the child due to mistreatment, misuse of parental authority, manifestly bad behaviour or severe negligence, or if they imperil his or her health, safety or morality. “Taking your children to a war zone is the absolute definition of this. So we wonder which measures have already been taken so that we can accommodate the children in a safer situation.”

No procedures against Syrian fighters

The N-VA asked the question to minister of Justice Geens. The answer is disappointing: currently there exists “no general guideline regarding the starting up or not of the procedure to take away parental rights in this context”. The Board of Attorney Generals told the minister that it had no knowledge of ongoing procedures regarding deprivation of parental rights concerning Syrian fighters.

The N-VA emphasises that the interests of the children are being severely threatened by the behaviour of their parents.