The German federal government appears to be planning to deport again criminals and dangerous individuals to Afghanistan. According to documents, the federal government, led by the Federal Ministry of the Interior under the direction of Nancy Faeser (SPD), is preparing for the second deportation flight to the country, which has been ruled by the Islamist Taliban for over three and a half years.
The flight is reportedly scheduled to depart at the latest shortly before the federal election on February 23. The federal government has confirmed to the state of Bavaria that at least one “collective measure”will take place in Afghanistan by the end of the next six weeks, according to a letter from a Bavarian authority. In early January, the authority had turned to a court, citing this reason and filed an application for detention pending deportation.
According to insiders, several serious criminals from Afghanistan are currently being held in custody in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg and are waiting for their deportation. Court decisions also suggest that a deportation flight will take place by the latest on the election weekend. A district court, according to the documents, has ordered “detention for the purpose of deportation”- at the latest, however, by February 22, 2025. The process has stirred up memories of the previous year. At the end of August, the federal government had deported criminals to Afghanistan just before the important state elections in Brandenburg, Saxony and Thuringia.
The Ministry of the Interior confirms plans for a deportation. “The federal government is working intensively to enable a similar measure through a regional key partner”said a spokesperson for Faeser on Friday. The ministry, however, strongly rejects any connection to the election date. Focusing on a specific date “does not correspond to the ministry’s attitude”the spokesperson said. Deportation measures would be carried out as soon as all legal, factual and logistical preconditions are met.