I am not a criminal, I am an artist

Society 20:05 06.02.2019

On January 10, 2019, hip-hop dancers Hamza, 20, Bourich Omar and Ahmed, 21, arrive at passport control at the Eindhoven airport in the Netherlands. In their hands, they have their Schengen* visas (3 months, multiple entries), which were delivered to them by the Dutch consulate in Casablanca on December 28, 2018.

The passport control agent asks them to state the purpose of their trip, their place of residence during their stay in the Netherlands and the amount of money they have on them. The three dancers are there to participate in an international hip-hop Battle that will be held in the city on January 12. Their return flights have been paid for and are scheduled for January 17 (Hamza and Omar) and 22 (Ahmed). In Eindhoven, their Dutch dancer friends and hosts are expecting them. Between the three of them, they have about 300 euros in their pockets. Hamza and Omar have already been to Europe (France, Netherlands), invited by Battle and hip-hop festival organizers. They are known on the Moroccan scene and are part of The Lions Crew Collective, which was praised by the New York Times in May 2018. As for Ahmed, it’s his first time in Europe.

The passport control agent doesn’t want to hear any of it. He makes them wait for several hours in an office, where they are interrogated several times by other agents. They are searched and then transferred to a police station outside the airport, where they undergo another interrogation: “are you suicidal?” “are you sexually active?”. These are some of the questions that they are asked, separately, each locked in a different office. Terrified, they tell the agents again and again that they have their visas, to no avail. They sign documents in Dutch that they don’t understand: “We were scared. When we signed, we thought we would be released.”

“I am not a criminal, I am an artist,” Hamza repeats, in vain.

The agents inform the three dancers that they are not allowed into the Netherlands for “insufficient means of subsistence” and insufficient justification for the purpose of their stay.

IEPF issued a statement regarding Azerbaijani children at the UN Human Rights Council

News line

Iran Orders Millions of Afghans to Leave by July 6 or Risk Arrest
12:45 09.07.2025
Tomorrow in Abu Dhabi: Aliyev and Pashinyan Hold Crucial Peace Process Talks
12:30 09.07.2025
Heavy rainfall hits SW China, 5 missing in Sichuan
12:15 09.07.2025
U.S. Detaining Individuals from Three Continents at Guantanamo Immigration Facilities
12:00 09.07.2025
Israel eliminates Hamas commander in Lebanon — IDF
11:45 09.07.2025
South Korea sends 6 rescued North Koreans back across sea border
11:30 09.07.2025
US condemns Houthi attacks on cargo ships in Red Sea
11:15 09.07.2025
Trump says he considers agreeing to more sanctions on Russia
11:00 09.07.2025
Today is a Day of Diplomacy in Azerbaijan
10:45 09.07.2025
Mexico probes former president for allegedly taking millions in bribes from Israeli businessmen
10:30 09.07.2025
Trump, Israel’s Netanyahu meet for a second time about a ceasefire in Gaza
10:15 09.07.2025
Death toll surpasses 100, at least 160 missing in Texas
10:00 09.07.2025
Mediators move closer to securing Israel-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza
09:45 09.07.2025
FBI launches probes into former FBI, CIA directors
09:30 09.07.2025
Trump's envoy says US 'hopeful' 60-day Gaza ceasefire agreed upon 'by end of this week'
09:15 09.07.2025
Azerbaijan hosts official reception at Gulustan Palace on occasion of professional holiday of diplomats
09:00 09.07.2025
Organisation of Turkic States, TURKPA congratulate Azerbaijani diplomats on professional holiday
08:45 09.07.2025
Rubio: US waiting for signing of Azerbaijan-Armenia peace treaty
08:30 09.07.2025
Russia charges former deputy defense minister with fraud, illegal arms trafficking
20:45 08.07.2025
Far-right Israeli ministers call to block Gaza aid, enforce starvation, halt ceasefire talks
20:30 08.07.2025
Ukraine appeals to OPCW to investigate possible use of chemical weapons by Russia
20:00 08.07.2025
Minister: Slovenia considers Azerbaijan key partner in green transition
19:45 08.07.2025
Ukrainian forces push back and hold ground in Russian regions, army chief says
19:30 08.07.2025
Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan open new border crossing point
19:15 08.07.2025
Azerbaijan, Slovenia discuss green energy collaboration
19:00 08.07.2025
Baku hosts conference on role of National Leader Heydar Aliyev in media development
18:45 08.07.2025
Another Training Session Held at IEPF Headquarters – Representation at the UN in Focus
18:15 08.07.2025
'We will de-risk our economies, but we do not want to decouple,' EU Commission president says on relations with China
18:15 08.07.2025
France’s Macron makes state visit to UK with migration and Ukraine on agenda
18:00 08.07.2025
Armenian Investigative Committee conducts searches at 51 addresses simultaneously
17:45 08.07.2025
4 killed, over 20 injured in Cairo data center fire
17:30 08.07.2025
Unknown individuals attack MPs in Armenian parliament
17:15 08.07.2025
Raids on illegal migrants in hostels, prayer houses in Moscow
17:00 08.07.2025
Hakan Fidan doesn’t rule out meeting of Russian, Ukrainian and US presidents in Türkiye
16:45 08.07.2025
Investigators raid head office of Electric Networks of Armenia
16:30 08.07.2025
Family of 4 killed after small plane crashes in North Carolina
16:15 08.07.2025
ASCO discusses port, logistics centers development with Chinese company
16:00 08.07.2025
Newcastle agree £55m fee for Forest winger Elanga
15:45 08.07.2025
Pashinyan says he will personally lead 'liberation' of Armenian church
15:30 08.07.2025
Russian emergencies minister thanks Azerbaijan for organizing evacuation of Russian citizens from Iran
15:15 08.07.2025
Hamısı