Two Afghan men, convicted of crimes in Hamburg, were transferred directly from detention to flights via Istanbul to Kabul, according to German Interior Ministry authorities this week.

One of the men, aged 30, had been convicted of repeated bodily harm and assaults on law enforcement officers and was deported last Friday (March 20). The second, a 32-year-old, had been found guilty of repeated bodily harm, armed theft, and making threats, and was deported on Monday (March 23).

The deportations come as German authorities reaffirm their stance on removing foreign nationals convicted of serious crimes.

Hamburg's Interior Senator Andy Grote from the Social Democratic Party (SPD) stated that "the safety of the population takes precedence over the right to remain of those who endanger that safety. Therefore, anyone who repeatedly commits serious crimes here must leave the country, regardless of their origin."

About a month ago, the federal government also stated that, despite escalating military confrontations involving Afghanistan and Pakistan, it sees no reason to alter its deportation policy to Kabul.

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Shift toward direct deportations

The latest removals form part of Berlin’s broader policy shift to resume direct deportations of Afghan nationals convicted of crimes. Such deportations had largely been suspended after the Taliban returned to power in 2021.

Following months of technical talks in Kabul, German authorities reached an arrangement with Afghan officials allowing direct returns without relying on third-country intermediaries such as Qatar. Despite the official German government position remaining in line with other Western nations in its refusal to officially recognize the Taliban regime as a legitimate government of the country.

In February, Germany deported 20 Afghan nationals convicted of offenses including assault, sex crimes, and drug-related violations.

For German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, "The deportation of criminals is a key component of control, direction, and a clear stance in migration policy. Our agreement creates a reliable basis for direct and permanent deportations to Afghanistan. Our society has an interest in criminals leaving our country. That is why we are acting decisively and expanding deportations step by step."

The chartered flight reportedly departed from Leipzig/Halle Airport and flew to Kabul via Istanbul. All 20 passengers were male individuals subject to enforceable deportation orders and were instructed to leave the country.

Germany has previously carried out similar operations. In July last year, dozens of individuals were flown to Kabul on a special deportation flight arranged through a direct agreement with the Taliban. Prior to that, the last regular deportation from Hamburg to Afghanistan is reported to have taken place in 2021.

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Concerns over engagement with the Taliban and human rights violations

Deportations of migrants convicted of crimes form part of Germany’s broader strategy to manage migration, as public and political anti-migrant sentiment continues to shape debate and sustain support for far-right groups such as the AfD (Alternative for Germany party, which recently polled 19.5 percent in the Rheinland Palatinate state elections last weekend).

Germany maintains that it has no formal diplomatic relations with the Taliban, which has governed Afghanistan since August 2021. The group remains internationally isolated due to ongoing human rights violations, particularly affecting women and girls.

However, Berlin’s decision to engage directly with Taliban authorities has raised concern among experts and human rights organizations. Critics warn that such cooperation could signal a normalization of relations and potentially encourage other European Union countries to follow suit.

Asylum advocates argue that Afghanistan remains unsafe, pointing to continued instability, conflict, and widespread human rights abuses, especially against women and minority groups.

According to data from the Asylum Information Database (AIDA), Germany had 36,578 pending asylum applications from Afghan nationals as of January 2025. Of these, around 14,427 were granted refugee status, while 10,866 were rejected.

Addressing the Human Rights Council, Volker Türk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said he was "disturbed by reports that several more countries are taking steps to return Afghan refugees involuntarily."

"I urge countries to refrain from returning refugees and migrants to Afghanistan without an individualized assessment of their circumstances, to ensure this does not violate their human rights – particularly the principle of non-refoulement," said Türk.

With dpa