Germany has resumed deporting convicted Afghan criminals to their home country, marking a shift in its asylum policy just days before regional elections, Reuters reported. This decision comes after a suspension following the Taliban's takeover in 2021, due to concerns over human rights.
The resumption was announced as the coalition government faces mounting pressure, partly in response to recent violent incidents, including a fatal stabbing at a city festival linked to Islamic State and a knife attack in June that resulted in the death of a German policeman.
"We have prepared this carefully without much discussion," Chancellor Olaf Scholz confirmed the move during a news conference in Saxony.
The decision is influenced by upcoming elections in Saxony and Thuringia, where the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), known for its anti-migration stance, is leading in polls.
On August 30, Spiegel magazine reported that a flight carrying 28 convicted criminals departed from Leipzig to Kabul, following months of negotiations mediated by Qatar. Qatar's role in facilitating these discussions was acknowledged by its foreign ministry, highlighting its efforts to bridge communication between Germany and the Taliban.
Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck emphasized that the right to asylum in Germany remains intact, despite the controversial nature of the deportations. ProAsyl, a German NGO, criticized the move as an irresponsible normalization of the Taliban regime, while the German foreign ministry reassured that this action does not equate to formalizing relations with the Taliban.
Germany is also working on deportations to Syria, with recent court rulings indicating a decreased general danger of civil war for asylum seekers from there. In the first seven months of 2024, the number of asylum applications in Germany fell by nearly 20%, with significant numbers coming from Syria and Afghanistan.
The debate over deportations has been contentious, with past incidents, such as the suicide of an Afghan refugee deported on the German interior minister’s birthday in 2018, influencing public opinion.
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