Rebecca Project for Human Rights Urges U.S. Congress to Bar Accused Pedophile, Dutch Justice Ministry Secretary General Joris Demmink from the United States, Freeze His U.S. Assets, and Examine Cover-Up Pending Investigation by Dutch Authorities

Dutch Justice Minister's Statement to Members of Parliament on Rejecting Calls for an Investigation into Child Sex Trafficking Accusations Belies Concerns of Recent U.S. Helsinki Commission Briefing on Sexual Trafficking

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Rebecca Project for Human Rights today condemned press reports indicating Dutch Justice Minister Ivo Opstelten has notified the Dutch parliament that calls for an investigation into pedophile accusations against Dutch Ministry Secretary-General Joris Demmink have been rejected.  In a statement highly critical of the Dutch Justice Minister's decision to not pursue an investigation into the allegations of victims in both the Netherlands and Turkey, the prominent Washington-based anti-human trafficking organization called upon the U.S. Congress to not only bar Demmink from entering the United States, but to freeze any of Demmink's U.S.-based assets, pending an investigation by Dutch authorities.  In addition, the Rebecca Project urged the U.S. Congress to investigate which Dutch authorities have conspired to allow Demmink to remain free.

The Rebecca Project for Human Rights Executive Director Imani Walker and Policy Director Kwame Fosu issued the following statement: "Allegations of sexual violence by Dutch Justice Ministry Secretary-General Joris Demmink continue to remain unaccounted for, despite brave victims of Demmink's crimes, in both the Netherlands and Turkey, demanding justice. Even calls by U.S. Congressmen for Dutch and Turkish authorities to investigate these accusations have not resulted in action, which is a betrayal of the violence these victims endured. Even a U.S. Helsinki Commission briefing on child sex trafficking, during which Chairman and Congressman Christopher Smith (R-NJ) called upon Dutch authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into child sex trafficking accusations against Joris Demmink, has not instilled into Dutch authorities the seriousness of the crimes in question. Until Dutch Justice Minister fulfills his duty as the top Dutch law enforcement official and demands a thorough and complete investigation into the accusations, the U.S. Congress must take steps to bar Joris Demmink from entering the United States and to freeze Demmink's U.S.-based assets. An accused pedophile cannot be allowed to victimize any children in the United States or use his U.S. assets to fund an escape from criminal prosecution.  Congress should also carefully investigate the role that other high-ranking Dutch officials have taken to further the cover-up which has allowed Demmink to remain free.  Just as Penn State had to tear down the wall of silence that allowed some authorities to look the other way while Jerry Sandusky violated young boys, Dutch authorities must do the same in the Netherlands.  The institutionalized and systemic protection of this accused pedophile must end.  It is time to arrest Joris Demmink."

During the October 4 U.S. Helsinki Commission Briefing – "Listening to Victims of Child Sex Trafficking" – Chairman and Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), in reference to the accusations against Secretary-General Joris Demmink, stated, "It is imperative that the justice system be ready to listen to allegations and to thoroughly investigate allegations no matter when they are raised – and no matter who is accused."  According to a report on the briefing in the Catholic News Report, accusations of Demmink sexually abusing young boys in Turkey remain uninvestigated.  The report stated: "The boys' lawyer, Adele van der Plas, said that the criminal charges filed on behalf of these boys were never officially investigated, despite the availability of primary witnesses. One of the accusers has reportedly faced threats and abuse for coming forward with his story. Rather than investigate the matter, she said, the government accepted Demmink's claim that he was not in Turkey in the 1990s. While Turkish sources have evidence to suggest that this is not accurate, she said, 'there is considerable pressure exerted on the Turks by the Dutch not to reveal the truth.'"  According to van der Plas' testimony before the U.S. Helsinki Commission, Dutch authorities also deterred criminal investigations into pedophile networks of influential Dutch customers at boy brothels.

For more information on the criminal complaints against Dutch Justice Ministry Secretary-General Joris Demmink, please visit www.ArrestDemmink.com.  A transcript of the U.S. Helsinki Commission Briefing, Listening to Victims of Child Sex Trafficking, can be found here: http://www.arrestdemmink.com/index.asp?idmenu=4&title=Latest%20News&idsubmenu=135#.UHUnyLSOW0s.  A video of the hearing may be viewed here: http://www.arrestdemmink.com/index.asp?idmenu=5&title=Testimonial%20Videos&idsubmenu=138#.UHUoI7SOW0s. The letter from Representatives Pitts, Wolf, and Smith Christian Ehler, the European Union Chairman of the Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue Steering Committee is available here: http://arrestdemmink.com/downloads/Letter_to_Christian_Ehler_re_Joris_Demmink.pdf.  Representative Poe's letter to Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan may be viewed here: http://arrestdemmink.com/downloads/Juris_Demmink_Letter_to_PM_Erdogan_Poe.pdf

The Rebecca Project for Human Rights (RPHR) is a transformational organization that advocates for justice, dignity, and reform for vulnerable women and girls in the United States and Africa. For more information, please visit: http://www.rebeccaproject.org/index.php

SOURCE Rebecca Project for Human Rights

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