(Adnkronos) – Germany has expelled 23 Afghan citizens to Afghanistan, as part of the second charter flight that did not exclusively include migrants convicted of crimes. The Interior Ministry announced this in a post on ‘X’, specifying that “most of these men had been convicted of serious crimes, including sexual assault and intentional violence.”
Video images published by the newspaper ‘Bild’ show the group boarding at Leipzig airport before dawn. Approximately 70 protesters were present in the terminal, displaying a banner with the inscription: ‘Stop Deportations – Refugees Welcome’ (‘Stop alle deportazioni – Benvenuti rifugiati’). After welcoming a large number of refugees and asylum seekers in recent years, Germany has tightened its migration policy under the leadership of conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz, introducing stricter border controls and increasing expulsions. Regarding Afghanistan, Berlin had so far prioritized the repatriation of individuals convicted of crimes.
In July, however, Germany had for the first time expelled an Afghan citizen without a criminal record, whose asylum application had been rejected. In an interview with Bild, Minister Alexander Dobrindt stated: “Those who do not have the right to stay in Germany must expect to have to leave the country,” assuring that the government would pursue this policy “consistently.” The German government does not officially recognize the Taliban, who returned to power in Kabul five years ago, but has nevertheless negotiated with them the organization of these expulsion flights. Human rights organizations strongly criticize expulsions to Afghanistan, where the Taliban apply a strict interpretation of Islamic law. Girls, in particular, cannot access education beyond the age of 12, and numerous restrictions specifically targeting women are in force. In recent years, several attacks have also been committed in Germany by Afghan refugees.
