Court in Germany denies return of deported Yazidi family
German Court Rejects Yazidi Family's Reentry Application
A German administrative court in Potsdam has turned down a Yazidi family's application to reenter the country after their deportation to Iraq. The court ruled that the family's deportation was lawful, based on a decision by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) from March 2023.
Initially, authorities claimed that only single men with criminal records were on board the charter flight carrying 43 people from Leipzig to Baghdad, but it was later revealed that the family were among the deportees. The family had lived in Lychen, Brandenburg, for years, with their children integrated into local schools.
The BAMF's decision, which rejected the family's protection claim, has reignited debate over how German asylum policy should treat communities affected by mass atrocities. Critics argue that the family's deportation violates protections for survivors of the IS genocide, which the German parliament recognized in 2023.
The court's decision emphasizes the legal standard over humanitarian concerns. It did not find individual persecution against the family members, including no significant personal threat such as persecution by IS or other group persecution affecting Yazidis currently. The court also noted that an emergency court injunction was issued later, but it came too late to prevent the deportation.
Politicians from the center-left Social Democrats, the environmentalist Greens, and the socialist Left Party have joined calls for the family's return. They cite Germany's recognition of the genocide and its moral responsibility toward survivors as reasons for the family's return. Advocacy groups such as Nadia's Initiative warn that similar removal orders are being issued to other Yazidi families in Germany, causing widespread fear in the community.
Brandenburg's Interior Minister Rene Wilke has expressed concern about the situation and asked federal authorities to work on bringing the family back, if the court ruling in their favor remains valid. The minister's concern is shared by many, who argue that many Yazidis still cannot return safely due to destroyed villages, insecurity, and the presence of IS remnants.
The controversy and public debate over the family's deportation continue. Critics contend that the legal rulings and humanitarian considerations appear to clash, and they call for a reassessment in light of the genocide and family integration. The case serves as a reminder of the complexities involved in balancing legal criteria against humanitarian obligations toward survivors of mass atrocities.
[1] Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) decision from March 2023 [2] Nadia's Initiative statement on the Yazidi family's deportation [3] Potsdam Administrative Court ruling on the Yazidi family's emergency application [4] German Bundestag recognition of IS atrocities against Yazidis as genocide in 2023 [5] Press release from the Social Democrats, Greens, and the Left Party on the Yazidi family's deportation
- The Yazidi family's deportation to Iraq has sparked significant debate in the world of general news and politics, with critics arguing that their removal goes against protections for survivors of the IS genocide, as recognized by the German parliament in 2023.
- The Potsdam Administrative Court's ruling on the Yazidi family's emergency application echoes the legal standard over humanitarian concerns, underlining the absence of individual persecution against the family members and the presence of no significant personal threat such as persecution by IS or other group persecution affecting Yazidis currently.
- In a press release, politicians from the Social Democrats, the environmentalist Greens, and the socialist Left Party have advocated for the family's return, pointing to Germany's recognition of the genocide and their moral responsibility toward survivors as reasons for their call to action.
- Advocacy groups like Nadia's Initiative warn that similar removal orders have been issued to other Yazidi families in Germany, leading to widespread fear within the community, and they believe that many Yazidis still cannot return safely due to destroyed villages, insecurity, and the presence of IS remnants.
