Germany Deports 31 Afghan Nationals, Most with Serious Criminal Convictions

German media reported that 31 Afghan nationals were deported to Afghanistan on Monday evening via a chartered flight from Leipzig Airport. According to German officials, the majority of those deported were convicted of serious crimes, including murder, sexual assault, and violence. Alexander Dobrindt, Germany’s Interior Minister, stated that most of these individuals had criminal convictions. He added that one person on the flight was not a convicted criminal but was still required to leave Germany. Reports indicate that the central government and German states have primarily focused on deporting serious criminals so far, but this process is expected to expand. It is said that individuals required to leave Germany who have not cooperated with integration efforts, rely on social welfare, or failed to cooperate in establishing their identity could also be subject to deportation. Earlier, Hannah Neumann, a member of the European Parliament, warned that deporting Afghan asylum seekers back to conditions of poverty and despair in Afghanistan could have serious consequences.