Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

Several awkward questions arise from Germany's new 'fly 'em back' policy

1. Afghanistan is not a “safe country”

Following the ultimately chaotic withdrawal of the American-led forces, the Taliban had seized control by August of that year and regime of mediaeval brutality and oppression had installed itself in Afghanistan. Despite this, Germany’s preceding administration still managed to send one plane of illegal migrants before diplomatic relations were severed completely.

2. The Taliban government remains unrecognised by Germany

Afghanistan falls within a group of countries that can be called ‘pariah states’. Its human rights record is as low as it is possible to get, with women treated like third-class citizens, girls denied an education, prisoners routinely beaten and tortured, and its people have no human rights as this expression would be understood almost anywhere.

Like many such regimes, of course, it puts on a different outside face and it has been busy trying to get recognised. The fact that Putin’s Russia was one of the first to do so says a lot. This is the reason it has decided to cooperate with Germany in taking back its violent citizens. It hopes this will help it to be recognised by Germany. The closest this has come has been the admittance of two Taliban officials in Germany to help facilitate the flights out. Even this was the subject of much criticism.

3. Compliance with the ECHR and the UN’s treaties

Given that Afghanistan is not on the UN’s (or anyone else’s) list of ‘safe countries’, how can Germany deport its unwanted illegal migrants there, even if these people are serious offenders?

Like the United Kingdom, Germany is a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and is therefore subject to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). This is the same ECtHR that stopped the UK’s first planeload of illegal migrants departing for Rwanda – a country that IS a ‘safe country’. The answer to this is unclear, other than the fact that Germany has been saying it is dealing with amounts to an emergency situation.

4. Compliance with the EU Commission and EU Treaties

The hypocrisy which seems to be occurring in regard to Germany is being repeated in Brussels, where of course the Commission is headed by Frau von der Leyen. Just as the Schengen Zone is virtually no longer existent and this has happened with all the countries who have closed their borders using ‘an emergency’ as the excuse, a blind eye seems to being turned in Berlin’s direction.

5. The payoff

The German Interior Ministry stated that each man had been given up to €1,000 (approx £870 GBP) with which to return home. To reiterate, this is despite that fact that these men are “criminals and those who pose a threat,” according to Chancellor Merz. The reason given is that this helped to prevent a German court from blocking the flights as the men would otherwise arrive home effectively destitute. Given the strong likelihood that they will be immediately transferred to a Kabul prison, this money will doubtless help to pay for the ‘expenses’ of officials at the other end.