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Reuters
a day ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Rights groups sue German ministers over deportation of Afghans from Pakistan
BERLIN, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Advocacy groups filed a criminal case against Germany's foreign and interior ministers on Friday, accusing them of failing to protect Afghan nationals in Pakistan with German admission approvals from deportation to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Pakistan has begun deporting documented Afghan refugees ahead of a September 1 deadline, a move the United Nations warns could force more than one million to leave. Among those at risk are more than 2,000 Afghans approved for relocation to Germany under programmes for people deemed vulnerable under Taliban rule in Afghanistan. The relocations have been put on hold, pending a review by Germany's new conservative-led government as it tries to deliver on its election promise to curb migration. Refugee group PRO ASYL and the Patenschaftsnetzwerk Ortskraefte, a non-profit supporting former local staff who worked for Germany, filed a criminal complaint with Berlin prosecutors against Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt. By allowing Pakistan to deport Afghans already accepted into German resettlement programmes, they said, the ministers had committed "abandonment" and "failure to render assistance" to people at risk under Section 221 of the Criminal Code. They said more than 400 people approved for relocation to Germany had been arrested in Pakistan in recent weeks and 34 people had already been deported. Deportees face grave risks under Taliban rule, including imprisonment, mistreatment or execution, the groups said. Victoria Lies, a lawyer who represents several of those affected, said some of her clients had been separated from their families, and in one case, a girl had been sent back to Afghanistan alone. The foreign and interior ministries did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit. However, Wadephul said on Friday his ministry was in "high-level contact with the Pakistani government to ensure the protection of these people and to provide rapid assistance to those who have been deported or arrested in recent days". The interior ministry has said it cannot provide a timeline to determine the future of the admission programme but expects decisions soon. The two NGOs' complaint builds on a July 8 legal opinion commissioned by them, which said German officials could be criminally liable if they fail to prevent the deportations. It adds to more than 80 lawsuits by affected Afghans seeking German government approval for their visas, with courts siding with them in some cases, though the interior ministry has appealed those rulings.
Russia Today
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
EU ministers name Russians they want banned from bloc
Top officials from several Baltic and Nordic countries have called for banning all Russians with past or current ties to the military from entering the Schengen Zone, claiming they could pose a 'criminal threat' to the EU, even after the Ukraine conflict ends. The ban was proposed in a joint statement by the interior ministers of Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Sweden, and Finland after a meeting in Tallinn on Thursday. All of the represented countries, except Sweden, have already effectively shut down their borders to Russian citizens. In their statement, which was shared by the Estonian Interior Ministry, the officials claimed that 'even after the end of the military operation against Ukraine, threats emanating from Russia to the internal security of the European Union will remain.' They claimed that hundreds of thousands of Russian nationals who have taken part in military operations against Ukraine now have combat experience and could supposedly join organized crime groups in Europe. The statement urges EU member states to take all necessary steps to prevent individuals with military backgrounds from Russia from moving freely within the Schengen area and undermining the bloc's security. It calls for a complete ban on residence permits and visas for these individuals. The officials also highlighted the need for drone detection and disruption capabilities along the eastern borders to counter threats from organized crime networks and hostile states. Last month, Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze urged all EU member states to stop issuing Schengen visas to Russian citizens, citing risks to the bloc's internal security. Latvian Interior Minister Rihards Kozlovskis also insisted the EU must acknowledge it is 'in a hybrid war' with Russia and claimed that Russian tourists are a danger to the bloc. In recent months, a number of Eastern European governments have argued that Russia could pose a military threat to the EU even after the Ukraine conflict concludes and have enacted draconian policies specifically targeting Russian nationals and Russian speakers. Moscow has vehemently accused Western officials, particularly those in the Baltics, of fearmongering to justify a military buildup and 'blatant discrimination against Russians.' The country's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova previously also stated that the EU's Russophobia has turned out to be an 'expensive obsession' for the bloc, noting that it has dealt a significant blow to its economy and citizens.
Zawya
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Ways of advancing GCC security co-ordination reviewed
Bahrain - Interior Minister General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa yesterday met GCC Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi. Shaikh Rashid commended the active role of the GCC General Secretariat in advancing Gulf co-operation in security and following up on the implementation of resolutions adopted by the bloc's Interior Ministers. The meeting reviewed several issues related to enhancing security co-ordination, as well as topics aimed at further developing joint action. Copyright 2022 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Bahrain News Gazette
14-02-2025
- Politics
- Bahrain News Gazette
Interior Ministry Undersecretary Heads Bahrain's Delegation at Arab Interior Ministers Council Preparatory Meeting
Tunis: Shaikh Nasser bin Abdulrahman Al Khalifa, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior, led Bahrain's delegation to the preparatory meeting for the 42nd session of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers, held in Tunisia. The meeting focused on reviewing several key security issues set to be discussed during the upcoming session of the Arab Interior Ministers. According to Bahrain News Agency, the delegates also deliberated on efforts to strengthen joint Arab security cooperation. They emphasized the importance of coordinating security policies among member states to effectively address current challenges and enhance regional security and stability.
