The German government maintains its plan to deport individuals to Syria, despite recent massacres targeting the Druze minority, according to a response from the Foreign Office revealed on July 22nd. The response, reported by “Welt” addresses a parliamentary inquiry from the Left Party. The Foreign Office statement indicates a commitment outlined in the governing coalition agreement, asserting that the government supports states and is working to enable the deportations.
Cansu Özdemir, the Left Party’s spokesperson for foreign policy, criticized the government’s stance, questioning the normalization of the Syrian interim government, particularly in light of alleged atrocities committed by groups associated with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. She emphasized that the government’s willingness to engage appears insensitive given ongoing violence against the Druze community.
Luise Amtsberg, a Green Party foreign policy expert and former Human Rights Commissioner for the German government, echoed concerns, deeming the resumption of deportation discussions irresponsible given the instability in Syria. She urged the government to cease exploiting the fragile situation for political gain.
Alexander Throm, the CDU’s spokesperson for internal policy, defended the government’s approach, arguing that the protection grounds previously offered to Syrian asylum seekers, based on persecution by the Assad regime and civil war, no longer apply. He suggested that most Syrian citizens, predominantly Sunni Arabs, can now safely return.
An SPD spokesperson stated that the Syrian government bears responsibility for protecting all its citizens, regardless of faith or ethnicity and that those responsible for the massacres must be held accountable. The spokesperson also indicated an ongoing commitment to future deportations, prioritizing criminals and individuals deemed a security risk, when conditions permit.
Markus Frohnmaier, foreign policy spokesperson for the AfD, argued that even when dealing with troublesome regimes, diplomatic engagement can benefit a nation’s interests and that negotiating with groups similar to the Taliban in Afghanistan might ultimately facilitate a broader return of deportees.
The timing of any resumption of deportations remains uncertain. In early July, the Federal Ministry of the Interior instructed the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bamf) to resume assessing the “removability” of Syrian criminals and individuals posing a threat, should the individual circumstances of a case warrant a complete revocation of asylum protection.
A ministry spokesperson clarified that Bamf is currently only issuing provisional decisions on Syrian asylum applications, largely in accordance with the Dublin III Regulation. A decision regarding a wider resumption of decision-making activity has not yet been made.