Refusal to exempt a sick young man from Danish citizenship requirements: Human Rights Institute warns of signs of discrimination

Update 3.2.2026: Tayyip Ömer Özüner and his family struggled for years against the system to obtain citizenship. Throughout his journey, according to the Human Rights Institute, there were “clear indications” that Tayyip faced discrimination. After years of illness and suffering, he passed away at the age of 22. Tayyip’s sister, Ömer Yıldırım, told BT, “He was very cheerful. He loved life. He was always smiling, and he had a big heart and a strong conscience.”

According to BT, the website addressed the case of the young man, Tayyip Ömer Uzuner, in the context of a warning issued by the Danish Institute for Human Rights regarding clear indications of potential discrimination in the decision to deny him an exemption from the requirements for obtaining Danish citizenship. Read more after the announcement.

The BT website explained that the Danish Parliament's naturalization committee stipulated that Tayeb, despite his health condition, must meet the general requirements for obtaining citizenship. The website stated that the committee required Tayeb to pass the citizenship test, learn Danish, pass the official language test (Prøve i Dansk 3), be financially self-sufficient, and participate in the mandatory handshake ceremony at the town hall.

The website confirmed that failure to meet these conditions would mean being denied Danish citizenship.

A highly complex health condition

The BT website featured the case of 22-year-old Tayyip Ömer Uzuner, who suffers from a rare and serious genetic disorder known as NF-2. This disease has led to brain tumors and a significant decline in his health. The website explained that his condition has deteriorated to the point where he is no longer able to feed himself, forcing his mother to feed him liquid food using large syringes.

The website added that Tayeb was no longer able to stand, move, or leave his bed. He had also lost the ability to speak, read, and write, and his physical abilities were now limited to caressing his mother's cheek or using simple hand gestures.

Decision of the Naturalization Committee

The BT website confirmed that the Danish Parliament's naturalization committee refused to grant Tayeb an exemption from the general requirements for obtaining Danish citizenship, despite his health condition. The website indicated that the committee stipulated he must pass a citizenship test, learn Danish, be financially independent, and participate in the official handshake ceremony at the town hall.

The website noted that Tayeb's lack of citizenship prevents him from benefiting from the early retirement pension that the Hvidovre municipality had approved when he turned 18. The family stated that this pension is necessary to cover his healthcare costs, which exceed 10,000 Danish kroner per month.

Field visit and official documents

The BT website explained that it visited Tayeb and his family and reviewed medical documents proving his health condition, in addition to official documents from the naturalization committee, including the rejection letter. The website stated that the committee refused to grant him an exemption from the requirements, despite him being born and raised in Denmark, and despite reports from specialist doctors and experts confirming that his health condition warranted an exemption from the citizenship requirements.

Human Rights Institute Opinion

Peter Kristian Hjaltason of the Danish Institute for Human Rights said there were “clear indications that Tayeb was discriminated against.” He explained that human rights conventions and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities stipulate the right of persons with disabilities to be exempted from requirements they cannot meet because of their disability, according to the source.

He added that a review of the medical statements in the case clearly shows that Tayeb will not be able to pass the Danish language test Prøve i Dansk 3, which is one of the conditions from which he requested exemption.

Hjaltason noted that the institute believes this case is not isolated, but may reflect a broader problem related to dealing with exemption requests from people with severe disabilities, according to the source.

Comments on procedures and transparency

The Human Rights Institute, as reported by BT, explained that it is important to provide a clear justification for the reasons for rejecting exemption requests, and that the handling of these cases should be subject to specific and transparent criteria. It noted that the naturalization committee is currently not obligated to justify its decisions, nor do applicants have the right to appeal them.

Positions of the members of the naturalization committee

BT also reported that it presented the Human Rights Institute's statements to all members of the naturalization committee, noting that seven out of 17 members responded to its inquiries.

He explained that Anders Kronborg of the Social Democratic Party and Hans Andersen of the Venstre party declined to comment on the details of the case due to confidentiality rules, while Mohammad Rona of the Moderate Party stated that he does not comment on individual cases.

In contrast, Mads Olsen of the Socialist People's Party, Zenia Stampe of the Radical Party, and Peder Hvelplund of the Unity List party confirmed that they voted in favor of granting Tayeb the exemption, while expressing reservations about the committee majority's decision.

The position of the committee chairman

According to BT, Mikkel Bjørn, head of the naturalization committee and a member of the Danish People's Party, declined to comment on the specifics of the case but rejected accusations of discrimination. He emphasized that Danish citizenship should only be granted when it is deemed a "good investment" for Denmark.

Case under investigation

BT concluded its report by noting that the case of Tayyip Ömer Uzuner is still being followed up, amid ongoing debate about the criteria for granting citizenship, the rights of people with disabilities, and the workings of the naturalization committee in Denmark.