Germans are deporting

Germany deports criminals to Afghanistan

Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP)

(Bild: APA/EVA MANHART)

Germany's government is once again deporting people to Afghanistan - 28 criminals were brought to Kabul early on Friday (see video above). Austria wants to follow suit, as announced by Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP). "Things are finally moving forward."

He has been calling for such steps for two years. "I have always been in close consultation with Faeser. In addition to voluntary returnees, which have already taken place this year, we too will soon be forcibly deporting people directly to Afghanistan," said Austria's Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP). The initiative had come from Austria and Denmark. Deportations are "not a competition, but hard and joint work" with partners in Europe.

1000 euros travel money
In Germany, the men had arrived in Leipzig overnight from various federal states. "They were Afghan nationals, all of whom were convicted criminals who had no right to stay in Germany and against whom deportation orders had been issued," said government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit.

I was always in close consultation with Faeser. In addition to voluntary returnees, who have already returned this year, we too will soon be forcibly deporting people directly to Afghanistan.

Innenminister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP)

The security authorities believe that some of them are guilty of the most serious politically motivated crimes such as attacks. However, they are said to have already served a large part of their sentence in Germany. The action was organized by the Ministry of the Interior. Each deportee received 1000 euros before the flight. The deportation was prepared for around two months.

Here you can see tweets from ministers about the deportation.

Germany's Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) announced on Thursday that deportations to Syria and Afghanistan would be carried out "very soon". A "large repatriation and deportation package" had already been "set in motion" before the deadly attack in Solingen.

Possible omissions?
Last week, three people were killed and eight others injured, some seriously, in a knife attack at a city festival in the German city of Solingen. The suspected perpetrator, a 26-year-old Syrian, was arrested on Saturday. The federal prosecutor's office assumes an Islamist background. Among other things, the case sparked a debate about deportations and possible failures on the part of the authorities.

Three people were killed in the attack in Solingen.

(Bild: APA/AFP/Roberto Pfeil)

On Thursday, a new legislative package was presented that provides for stricter regulations for asylum seekers. For example, anyone who goes on vacation in their home country will lose their asylum status. Previously, however, the law already provided grounds for exclusion from protection in Germany, such as war crimes.

Homosexuality and music banned in Afghanistan
The radical Islamic Taliban regained power in Afghanistan in the summer of 2021. At the beginning, the Taliban had promised a more moderate form of government. In reality, it is extremely authoritarian. For example, it curtails women's rights and bans homosexuality and music. The implementation of Islamic law is seen as a lifelong responsibility. To date, no state has recognized the Islamist rulers as a formal government.

No diplomatic relations
Germany's government has no diplomatic relations with the Taliban rulers in Kabul. Following the deadly knife attack in Mannheim at the end of May, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) announced that the deportation of serious criminals and terrorists to Afghanistan and Syria would be made possible again.