Amnesty International has condemned Germany’s broadened approach to deportations to Afghanistan after Hesse circulated guidance suggesting removals are no longer limited to criminals or security threats. The Federal Interior Ministry reports 173 male Afghans were returned during the current legislative period. Amnesty warns the policy may violate human rights obligations and highlights the case of Faridoon Tofan, a 46‑year‑old facing deportation despite no criminal conviction, as a likely test case.
Amnesty Condemns Germany’s Expansion of Deportations to Taliban‑Ruled Afghanistan
FILE PHOTO - Police vehicles stand in front of a Qatar Airways plane at Leipzig/Halle Airport. (is associated with: «Amnesty slams Germany's broadened Afghanistan deportation policy») Jan Woitas/dpa
Amnesty International has sharply criticized a recent shift in Germany’s deportation policy after the state of Hesse circulated Federal Police guidance indicating that removals to Afghanistan are no longer limited to convicted criminals or individuals deemed security threats.
What Changed
In early July the Hesse Interior Ministry issued a decree relaying Federal Police guidance that "the previously existing restrictions on presenting Afghan nationals for identification - criminals and security threats - have been lifted." State Interior Minister Roman Poseck said the federal government had established the conditions "for regular deportations of those required to leave to Afghanistan to be possible in future."
Official Figures and Legal Framework
According to the Federal Interior Ministry, 173 male Afghan nationals have been returned to Afghanistan during the current legislative period; a ministry spokeswoman said all had previously come to the attention of the criminal justice system. Deportations to Afghanistan resumed in 2024 after the Taliban regained power in 2021. The 2025 coalition agreement states: "We will deport to Afghanistan and Syria - beginning with criminals and security threats."
Under Germany’s Residence Act, foreign nationals may be deported "if they are subject to an enforceable obligation to leave, no departure deadline is granted or such a deadline has expired, and no individual bar to deportation exists." The federal states are responsible for enforcing residence law and decide cases individually.
Amnesty’s Concerns
Amnesty International argues the broadened policy conflicts with Germany’s obligations under human rights and international law. Nina Alizadeh Marandi, Amnesty’s asylum expert, warned that cooperating with the Taliban for identity verification or travel documents "exposes German policy to potential blackmail" and could put returnees at grave risk.
"Deportations to Afghanistan are in contradiction to Germany's obligations under human rights and international law," — Nina Alizadeh Marandi, Amnesty International.
Highlighted Case: Faridoon Tofan
Amnesty highlighted 46‑year‑old Faridoon Tofan as a potential test case. Tofan arrived in Germany as an asylum seeker in 2022 and worked there. After his asylum claim was rejected he reportedly retained a temporary residence permit; a trip to Italy in mid‑April allegedly breached the permit’s conditions and he was placed in deportation detention on return. Amnesty says Tofan is scheduled to be deported on a charter flight and warns the move could expose him to arrest, torture or even mortal danger.
The organization also says at least five other Afghan nationals without criminal records are currently held in deportation detention. Human rights groups say these cases illustrate the broader risks if deportations beyond convicted criminals become routine.
What’s Next
German states will continue to make case‑by‑case decisions under the Residence Act, but rights groups are pressing for stricter safeguards and a review of cooperation with Afghan authorities given the security and human rights situation on the ground. The debate highlights a tension between domestic immigration enforcement priorities and international human rights commitments.
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