Austria follows Germany in expelling criminals from Afghanistan with criminal records back to their home country

Heads Turn as Austria Greenlights Deportations to Afghanistan

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Austria has joined the ranks of other European countries, including Germany, in considering the resumption of deportations to Afghanistan. This decision comes amidst a change in the country's security landscape, deemed "changed security situation."

Following in the footsteps of Germany, Austria intends to deport Afghan nationals with criminal records back to their homeland. This move was spurred by Germany’s decision to deport 28 Afghan convicts, marking the first such deportations since the Taliban retook power in 2021. Vienna and Berlin are now in negotiations to collaborate on joint deportations.

"We have been in discussions with the German interior minister for a long time about how we can manage deportations to Afghanistan because Austria is also deporting Afghans and Syrians," said Chancellor Karl Nehammer. "Now the next step is to be able to deport people directly to Afghanistan or Syria."

Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner commended Germany's decision and advocated for further discussions on the EU-wide ban on deportations to Afghanistan and Syria. In Brussels in March, he stressed that these countries account for about three-quarters of all asylum applications in Austria.

'Relieved that this is happening'

The Austrian Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum has already approved case-by-case deportations to Afghanistan due to the altered security situation in the country. This perspective was corroborated by a July ruling from the Constitutional Court. Collaborative efforts between the ministry and the Federal Office for Foreign Affairs are underway to implement deportations to Afghanistan, and talks are ongoing with several European countries.

Karner expressed satisfaction with the possibility of resuming deportations to Afghanistan and underscored the necessity for such a move, stating, "It is crucial that we deport people to Afghanistan again."

'Implementing deportations carefully'

While many in Austria's political spectrum support joint deportations with Germany, some call for caution in reviewing each case.

"We are strong as a society and will not allow ourselves to be divided by Islamism and terrorism," said Alma Zadić, the minister of justice for the Greens. "We have strong laws, we have tough laws, and these must be applied in this case. And all constitutional options must be exhausted, even when it comes to deportations."

According to the Austrian immigration agency, nearly 9,000 Afghan nationals applied for asylum in Austria last year. As the world navigates the complexities of dealing with the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, the prospects of deportations remain a contentious issue, with human rights groups criticizing the move as a "breach of international law."

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Taliban
Afghanistan
Germany
Islamism
Olaf Scholz
Austria

[1]Germany affirms extradition of Afghan national accused of document fraud to Greece, (Der Spiegel, April 24, 2025) [2]Germany pauses Afghan admissions program, citing renewed security concerns, (Reuters, April 25, 2025) [3]France and Switzerland halt Afghan deportations over security concerns, (Al Jazeera, April 10, 2025) [4]Austria-Germany border: What the new checkpoints mean, (BBC News, June 2, 2024) [5]Germany's coalition agreement targets immigration policies, (Deutsche Welle, March 31, 2023)

Olaf Scholz, the German Chancellor, and Austria's Chancellor Karl Nehammer have been discussing ways to manage deportations to Afghanistan and Syria due to changes in the security landscape.
Amidst a surge in Afghan asylum applications last year, the Austrian immigration agency is working closely with the Federal Office for Foreign Affairs to implement deportations to Afghanistan.
Whatsapp groups and general news platforms are buzzing with discussions about the potential resumption of deportations to Afghanistan, sparked by Austria's decision to join Germany in this policy.
While some in Austria's political spectrum support joint deportations with Germany, Alma Zadić, the minister of justice for the Greens, calls for caution in reviewing each case and ensuring that all constitutional options are exhausted.
In the face of criticism from human rights groups for perceived breaches of international law, Austria's Interior Minister Gerhard Karner advocates for further discussions on the EU-wide ban on deportations to Afghanistan and Syria, particularly considering the altered security situation and the high number of asylum applications in the country.