Deported Yazidi family barred from re-entry by court decision
In a controversial move, a Yezidi family, consisting of four minor children, was deported from Germany to Iraq despite a temporary court order halting their removal. The decision was upheld by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) in March 2023, which found no legal obstacle to deportation.
The family had fled Iraq in 2014 due to the atrocities committed by the terrorist militia Islamic State (IS) against the Yezidi religious minority, which was formally recognized as genocide by the German Bundestag in 2023. They had lived in Germany for several years, with their children attending school.
The Potsdam Administrative Court initially granted an emergency appeal to suspend the family's removal, but this decision came after the deportation had already taken place. The court did not find sufficient evidence of individual persecution or ongoing group persecution against Yazidis to justify reversing the deportation.
The decision is final, as confirmed by a court spokesman. The Potsdam Administrative Court has refused to order Germany to repatriate the family.
The deportation has sparked controversy, with political figures in Brandenburg expressing regret and hoping to facilitate the family’s return to Germany. A school class even presented a petition and a protest letter to the President of the State Parliament, Ulrike Liedtke, demanding the repatriation of the Yezidi family.
The case has also been a subject of public debate, with calls for a moratorium on Yazidi deportations and the safe return of the deported family by groups like Nadia’s Initiative. The Interior Minister, René Wilke, had announced that he wanted to repatriate the family promptly in coordination with the federal government.
However, a corresponding legal basis for repatriation is required, and so far, the Ministry of the Interior has not seen any possibility for repatriation. The case underscores the complexities involved in asylum and deportation decisions, particularly in light of historical events like the Yezidi genocide.
[1] The Local
[2] Deutsche Welle
[3] The Guardian
[4] BBC News
[5] Tagesspiegel
- The controversial deportation of a Yezidi family, which had fled Iraq due to the Islamic State's atrocities and lived in Germany for several years, has become a major topic in German politics and general news.
- Political figures in Brandenburg and various groups, including Nadia's Initiative, are urging the repatriation of the Yezidi family, amidst calls for a moratorium on Yazidi deportations and the safe return of the deported family, following the family's controversial deportation to Iraq.
