Dutch Court Upholds Detention as Man’s Claimed Nationality Shifts from Moroccan to Algerian
A man held in the Netherlands presented himself as Moroccan for months, but the embassy could not confirm his nationality. The authorities then approached Algeria. Before the court, he eventually said he was Algerian, while accusing the administration of pursuing that avenue too late.
On June 8, 2026, the Moroccan embassy informed the Dutch authorities that it could not confirm the nationality claimed by the man. He nevertheless continued to say he was Moroccan. Eleven days later, the Ministry of Asylum and Migration sent a request for a laissez-passer to the Algerian embassy.
This sequence of steps is detailed in a ruling by the court in The Hague, sitting in Utrecht, issued on September 22 and published on September 29. The man, born in 1994, has been in administrative detention since March 16, 2026. An order requiring him to leave the country had already been issued on May 13, 2022.
On Bladi.net : He Refuses to Return to Morocco, Court Refuses to Release Him from Detention
At the hearing on September 17, his account changed: this time, he said he was an Algerian national. His lawyer argued that the administration should have pursued both procedures in parallel from the outset. He described his client as confused and disorganized, and argued that his statements alone did not justify focusing the process on Morocco.
The court upholds the extension of his detention
The judge rejected this argument. The ruling notes that the man had consistently identified himself as Moroccan, including after the embassy’s response. The administration then initiated the procedure with Algeria on June 19 and followed up with the Algerian embassy at least once a month.
An in-person presentation of the man to the Algerian embassy was also scheduled for September 24. The ruling, issued two days earlier, does not say whether the appointment took place or whether a laissez-passer has since been issued.
On Bladi.net : The Netherlands Detains Him for 8 Days Before His Return to Morocco: Judge Releases Him and Awards Him €1,000
The appeal concerned the extension of his detention, ordered on September 9 for a maximum of 12 additional months. The court found that the administration was pursuing the necessary steps with sufficient diligence. It also upheld the grounds related to the risk of absconding, including his lack of cooperation in establishing his identity and nationality.
The man therefore remains in detention: his appeal and claim for compensation are dismissed. As of the date of the ruling, his Algerian nationality rests on his statement at the hearing; no confirmation from the Algerian authorities is mentioned.
