Minor trans woman dies in Dutch asylum centre
At the Dutch asylum centre in Ter Apel, a 17-year-old transgender woman who had fled from Russia has died. This was reported by the Dutch organisation LGBT Asylum Support on its website. The organisation has now sent an urgent open letter for the twelfth time to Minister for Asylum and Migration Faber (PVV).
Alice applied for asylum in the Netherlands in December 2023, after fleeing her home country. Despite being a minor, she was placed in a shelter for adults, without the appropriate guidance or protection. On 28 December 2023, she became the victim of rape at the facility.
Despite repeated reports of her suicidal ideation, she initially received insufficient care from COA (the Dutch Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers). After being transferred to the Amsterdam asylum centre, her condition deteriorated due to neglect and lack of support, ultimately leading to her death on 27 March 2025.“It is unacceptable that a minor was left to fend for herself in a facility meant for adults,” emphasised Sandro Kortekaas, chair of LGBT Asylum Support.
The organisation is calling on the government to launch a thorough investigation, and advocates for separate accommodation with intensive care for vulnerable LGBTIQ+ asylum seekers, especially for queer minors, to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
