Germany deports first Afghan without criminal record since 2021, Reuters reports
Germany has deported an Afghan national without a criminal record for the first time since the Islamic Emirate returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, Reuters reported, citing German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt.
According to Dobrindt, the man became eligible for deportation after exhausting all legal avenues in his asylum case. He had previously attempted to settle in another European country but was found to be residing there illegally. After being transferred back to Germany under European migration procedures, he was deported to Afghanistan.
Reuters reported that the individual was among 31 Afghan men returned to Afghanistan on a deportation flight on Tuesday. The remaining 30 deportees had been convicted of criminal offenses, according to German authorities.
Germany resumed deportations to Afghanistan in 2024 despite continued debate over the safety of returnees following the political changes in the country in 2021.
Human rights organizations have repeatedly raised concerns over the policy. Reuters, citing Amnesty International, reported that Germany has deported more than 200 Afghans since the deportation program resumed in 2024, and that at least one deportee was later killed after returning to Afghanistan.
The deportations continue to draw criticism from rights groups, which have urged European governments to consider the humanitarian and human rights implications of returning asylum seekers to Afghanistan.
