A Syrian-born woman in Denmark has spoken out against her parents, who were convicted of violently abusing their daughters. Despite deportation orders, the parents continue to track down and harass their children, who now live under new identities and with tight security protections. Danish police consider the parents a threat to the children’s lives, but still despite their convictions, the parents can move freely in Denmark, exposing gaps in the system of deportations in Denmark.
Convicted and Expelled, Yet Still a Threat
In 2022, Syrian nationals Afaf Mustafa Almustafa and Farouk Mahmoud Bali were both sentenced to 18 months in prison and deported from Denmark for physically abusing their four daughters. Despite their convictions and expulsion orders, the couple remains in Denmark at the Kærshovedgård departure center due to Denmark’s policy against forced repatriation to Syria, where the situation is considered unsafe.
Their 20-year-old daughter, Sara Johanne Jensen, who escaped the abusive household, now lives under a protected identity. She has spoken out publicly, frustrated that her parents – despite their convictions – can still move freely on Danish soil and attempt contact with their children.
Life in Hiding for the Daughters As Deportation in Denmark Fails
Since being removed from their parents’ custody in 2021, Sara and her sisters have been forced to relocate repeatedly for their safety. In fact, Sara’s youngest sister, now just seven years old, has been moved seven times in five years. All four girls live under new identities and confidential addresses.
According to Police Intelligence Service assessments obtained by the media, the girls are considered at risk of kidnapping and death by their parents. The Danish authorities have identified an ongoing threat but have limited legal tools to physically restrict the parents, as they are not technically incarcerated despite their expulsion status.
Repeated Attempts to Reach the Children
The most recent security breach occurred in June 2025, when the biological mother appeared outside the seven-year-old’s school with a printed photo of the girl. She reportedly asked other parents to confirm the girl’s identity. The incident prompted emergency action, resulting in yet another relocation for the young girl.
This was not an isolated event. In 2023, the father reportedly approached another daughter, then 13, in what authorities classified as an attempted kidnapping. That incident, too, led to emergency relocation and increased safety precautions.
Violent Past Confirmed by Court
The abuse the sisters endured was severe. Judicial documents show that the parents beat, kicked, and used objects to hit their daughters. In some cases, they burned skin with lighters and forced chili onto the children’s tongues. They also issued death threats against their daughters if they disobeyed.
Despite denying all charges, the parents were found guilty in both district and appeals courts before being sentenced in 2022. A child welfare determination banned all parental contact with the daughters, but these restrictions have proven ineffective without an enforceable restraining order.
Deportations in Denmark: Government Under Pressure
The inability to deport the parents or fully restrict their movements has sparked political debate in Denmark. Immigration and Integration Minister Rasmus Stoklund has stated that new policy proposals aim to tighten restrictions on individuals like the convicted couple. These include increasing daily check-in requirements at deportation centers like Kærshovedgård and limiting rights such as holding a driver’s license.
The facility currently houses criminals and expelled foreigners who cannot be returned to their countries for legal or humanitarian reasons. Residents must sleep at the center and report to authorities three times weekly, but they are allowed to move freely during the day.
Desire to Reclaim Control of Deportations in Denmark
The children’s former foster parents believe Denmark’s current policies prioritize the rights of convicted parents over the safety and stability of vulnerable children. Some have called for legal reforms to address the inability to impose restraining orders in such cases.
As the legal and political systems continue to wrestle with these dilemmas, Sara Johanne Jensen and her sisters remain trapped in fear, unable to move forward with their lives.
Hope for Change in Deportations in Denmark
Sara says her only wish is to live without fear of her past catching up to her. Until meaningful legal changes are implemented, she and her sisters are left depending on anonymity and secrecy for safety, while their abusers remain a few steps behind.
