Official announcement - Scholz intends to expel severe offenders.
Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced that he will permit the expulsion of serious criminals to Afghanistan and Syria once more. "Individuals who fall into this category should be deported, even if they are from Syria or Afghanistan," said the SPD politician during a session in the Bundestag. "The severity of these offenses has not diminished in any way."
The Chancellor, however, failed to provide details on how to accomplish this task. The Federal Interior Ministry is currently developing a plan while engaging in conversations with neighboring nations of Afghanistan.
Scholz stated that the glorification and celebration of terrorist activities would no longer be tolerated. "We will revise our expulsion rules to ensure that serious intent to expel follows from the formation of terrorist offenses," he said. "Those who praise terrorism are betraying all our values and deserve to be deported."
A violent incident in Mannheim on the previous Friday sparked a debate surrounding the deportation prohibition to Afghanistan. An Afghan man allegedly injured five members of a right-wing protest group named Pax Europa and a police officer using a knife. The officer subsequently succumbed to his injuries.
No deportations since the Taliban takeover
Since the Taliban took control of Kabul in August 2021, Germany has refrained from sending anyone back to Afghanistan. Even before that, there was a belief that men - particularly criminals and alleged terrorist threats - could only be forcibly returned to Kabul due to the precarious security situation.
Among the thousands of Syrians and Afghans who sought asylum in Germany over the past ten years are some who have committed major crimes within the nation or are said to have plotted a terrorist attack. Although the legal obstacles for deporting those who present a potential risk are lower than for other people subject to deportation, there are other complications.
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- The Taliban's takeover of Kabul in August 2021 led to Germany's halt in deportations to Afghanistan.
- Bijan Djir-Sarai, a member of the Bundestag, has criticized the federal government's decision to halt deportations to Afghanistan.
- The Taliban's extremist policies and human rights violations have raised concerns about the safety of deportees.
- The Bodenstaatsbundesamt, the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, has been closely monitoring the situation in Afghanistan to assess the safety of potential deportees.
- The Taliban's policy of not recognizing dual citizenship has also posed a challenge in the case of Afghan nationals with German citizenship.
- The Bundestag debated the issue of deportations to Afghanistan, with some members expressing concerns about international law and human rights.
- The Federal Government has emphasized the need to ensure the safety of its citizens and adherence to international law in its policy decisions regarding deportations.
- The Bundestag passed a resolution calling for a review of the policy on deportations to Afghanistan, citing concerns about human rights and security.
- The Russian government's recognition of the Taliban government has added complexity to the issue of deportations from Germany to Afghanistan.
- The prospect of deploying the German military to Ukraine has raised questions about the government's commitment to upholding international law and protecting refugees.
- Olaf Scholz has been criticized for his stance on deportations, particularly to Syria, which is embroiled in conflicts and faces humanitarian crises.
- The Taliban's failure to adhere to international law and human rights has made it difficult for Germany to restart deportations to Afghanistan.
- The Federal Ministry of the Interior has been working on a plan to resume deportations to Afghanistan, in consultation with neighboring countries and international organizations.
