Child deportation raises concerns over medical assessment of Yazan Tamimi in Norway

Yazan Tamimi, an eleven-year-old Palestinian boy diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, was reportedly deemed fit for travel with a “Fit to fly” certificate prior to his scheduled deportation last night, according to Marin Thorsteinsson, the project manager at the Department of Return and Escort of the National Police Commissioner.

In a recent interview, Thorsteinsson indicated that consultations with the children’s doctors are standard practice before individuals are escorted out of the country to ensure their travel safety. When asked if a certificate was available for Tamimi before he was picked up, she confirmed that they typically have this information when proceeding with such cases.

Yazan’s father expressed that the family has been left in a state of shock after the events of that night. He emphasized that when dealing with physically vulnerable individuals, communication with their physicians is crucial. If a patient has not received recent medical treatment and there is a perceived risk, a doctor’s assessment is obtained, and a “Fit to fly” certificate is issued accordingly. However, the family’s lawyer stated he was not aware of any such certificate having been issued for Yazan.

Marin reported that the National Police Commissioner receives confirmation of an individual’s fitness to travel from their treating physician. When questioned if confirmation about Yazan’s fitness existed yesterday, she responded affirmatively, saying that such information is expected to be available in these situations.