A legal dispute is unfolding in Copenhagen City Court as an Afghan man seeks compensation for his detention upon arrival in Denmark in 2021. The man, now 34, was arrested after landing at Kastrup Airport on a Danish evacuation plane from Afghanistan with his wife and children. He was subject to an entry ban valid until February 1, 2023.

Despite the entry ban, both the district court and the high court determined that the man was not punishable. He is now seeking compensation for the time spent in a Danish detention center.

The state prosecutor and the director of public prosecutions rejected his claim, citing so-called self-inflicted fault.

His lawyer, Kenn Jørgensen, argues that his client could not have foreseen his detention upon arrival. Jørgensen emphasizes that the Danish authorities were aware of his client’s identity and allowed him to board the evacuation flight.

The 34-year-old originally received his entry ban in 2016 after being convicted of arson for setting fire to his mattress at an asylum center.

During the initial case regarding the violation of the entry ban, the court found him guilty but ultimately decided against punishment.

The court considered the possibility of an active threat against him from the Taliban as a mitigating factor.

The State Prosecutor in Copenhagen is demanding acquittal from the compensation claim. A decision date from the Copenhagen City Court has not yet been announced.