Afghanistan Peace Campaign
A German newspaper has reported that several Afghan nationals without criminal convictions are being held in immigration detention pending deportation, raising questions about whether some recent cases align with Germany’s stated policy of primarily deporting individuals convicted of serious crimes or considered threats to public security.
The German daily taz reported that at least five Afghan nationals with no criminal records are currently being held in deportation detention facilities across Germany. According to the newspaper, the findings are based on its own investigation into recent detention cases involving Afghan migrants.
The report said the detainees are facing deportation despite having no known criminal convictions. Germany’s Federal Ministry of the Interior had not publicly commented on the newspaper’s findings at the time of publication.
According to taz, several of the detainees are being held in the southern state of Bavaria, while another Afghan national is being detained in Hesse. The newspaper also reported that a sixth Afghan man, who had been awaiting deportation in Lower Saxony, was temporarily released after refugee support organizations intervened on his behalf.
The newspaper said two of the six individuals had previously returned to Germany under the European Union’s Dublin Regulation, which determines which member state is responsible for examining an asylum application. The remaining four were reportedly detained by Germany’s Federal Police after re-entering the country.
German authorities have maintained that the country’s deportation policy remains focused on individuals who have committed serious criminal offenses or who are regarded as threats to public security. Officials have repeatedly said deportations to Afghanistan are intended primarily for people convicted of violent or sexual crimes, major drug-related offenses, or those classified as security risks.
Germany resumed deportations of Afghan nationals in 2024 after suspending removals following the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in August 2021. The policy shift followed months of political debate over migration and public security, with the German government arguing that deportations would be limited to offenders posing significant risks.
The first deportation flight under the renewed policy departed in August 2024, when 28 Afghan nationals were returned with logistical assistance from Qatar. German authorities have since carried out additional deportation flights, with media reports indicating that approximately 215 Afghan nationals have been deported under the resumed policy.
Human rights organizations and refugee advocacy groups have repeatedly expressed concern about returning Afghans to a country where the humanitarian and human rights situation remains difficult. United Nations agencies have continued to warn of widespread economic hardship, restrictions on fundamental rights, and ongoing protection concerns for many Afghans, particularly women, former government employees, journalists, and civil society activists.
The taz investigation said several recent detention cases appear inconsistent with Germany’s publicly stated deportation policy because the individuals concerned reportedly have no criminal convictions.