Germany: Twelve convicted criminals deported to Afghanistan

Twelve convicted criminals, including two serious sex offenders and several individuals sentenced for killings, assaults, and drug offenses, were deported from the German state of Baden-Württemberg to Afghanistan via a charter flight. The Ministry of Justice in Stuttgart confirmed that the deportees were transported from detention facilities and prisons to Leipzig/Halle Airport for the flight.

This deportation is part of a larger operation involving around 30 individuals deemed to be obligated to leave Germany, with deportees also coming from North Rhine-Westphalia, Schleswig-Holstein, Bavaria, and Lower Saxony. The flight departed overnight from Leipzig/Halle Airport towards Kabul. Approximately 35 opponents of the deportation gathered at the terminal for a vigil, according to a dpa reporter on site.

The deportations are facilitated by a direct agreement between Germany and the Islamist Taliban, who currently rule Afghanistan. This agreement allows for regular deportations without intermediary countries. This marks the first deportation flight organized directly by Germany to Afghanistan in 2024, following a previously planned flight at the end of May that was canceled due to a lack of cooperation from the Taliban.

Critics have raised concerns about the German government's approach. They point out a contradiction in not officially recognizing the Taliban regime due to its human rights violations, particularly against women, while simultaneously making practical concessions to enable deportations. These concessions reportedly include allowing the Taliban to send diplomats to their missions in Germany, a privilege previously limited to officials appointed by the former government. Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) had previously stated that priority should be given to deporting criminals and individuals deemed a threat.

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Criminals and offenders must have priority.