Germany has resumed deporting convicted Afghan criminals, just days before regional elections where migration is a key campaign issue. The decision comes after months of secret negotiations with Qatar and heightened pressure on the government following a series of violent incidents, including a fatal stabbing linked to Islamic State.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz confirmed that a Kabul-bound flight left Leipzig on Friday with 28 convicted criminals aboard. “We have prepared this carefully without talking about it much,” Scholz stated during a news conference in Saxony. Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck emphasized, “The right to asylum in Germany must remain untouched.”
The deportations were halted in 2021 due to human rights concerns after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. However, a recent spike in violent incidents has intensified calls to resume the deportations. In response, the German government announced a package of measures to tighten asylum policy and expedite deportations, a move seen as an effort to counter the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which is leading in polls with its anti-migration stance.
While the German government thanked regional partners for their support, the refugee rights group ProAsyl criticized the decision as a dangerous normalization of relations with the Taliban. “This is a declaration of bankruptcy for the constitutional state,” said Tareq Alaows, ProAsyl’s refugee policy spokesperson.
Germany is also considering deportations to Syria, following a court ruling that no longer sees any general danger of civil war for asylum seekers from Syria. The number of asylum seekers in Germany has dropped nearly 20% in the first seven months of 2024 compared to the previous year.
