Germany Conducts Mass Deportation Flight to Iraq Amid Protests
A charter flight carrying 47 Iraqi nationals lands in Baghdad as activists raise concerns over deportations.
On September 30, 2023, a charter flight operated by Freebird Airlines departed from Hannover, Germany, and arrived in Baghdad carrying 47 Iraqi nationals.
The flight's departure was delayed due to winter weather conditions, with the aircraft needing de-icing procedures.
It eventually took off at 9:18 AM, later than the scheduled 8:00 AM departure time.
The individuals on board were deported from various federal states in Germany, with the Niedersachsen state reporting that 16 of the deportees originated from there.
Among this group, nine individuals had previous criminal convictions.
A spokesperson from the Niedersachsen Ministry of the Interior stated that the deportations were mandated by law, as the individuals had failed to make use of the opportunity for voluntary departure within the required timeframe.
This failure made their obligation to leave the country enforceable.
The Ministry further emphasized that there was no direct relationship between the timing of this deportation flight and the approaching federal elections in Germany.
In conjunction with the flight, protests were organized by the Niedersachsen Refugee Council, Seebrücke, and an anti-deportation network.
Activists specifically raised awareness of the case of a 30-year-old Yazidi man among the deportees, who comes from the Shingal region, a locality that suffered significant genocide against the Yazidi community by the Islamic State (IS) in 2014.
The landing of this flight in Baghdad symbolizes Germany's ongoing policy concerning the deportation of individuals lacking legal residency status.
The matters surrounding deportations and asylum procedures in Germany continue to be significant topics of discussion, particularly regarding the implications for vulnerable populations.
The flight's departure was delayed due to winter weather conditions, with the aircraft needing de-icing procedures.
It eventually took off at 9:18 AM, later than the scheduled 8:00 AM departure time.
The individuals on board were deported from various federal states in Germany, with the Niedersachsen state reporting that 16 of the deportees originated from there.
Among this group, nine individuals had previous criminal convictions.
A spokesperson from the Niedersachsen Ministry of the Interior stated that the deportations were mandated by law, as the individuals had failed to make use of the opportunity for voluntary departure within the required timeframe.
This failure made their obligation to leave the country enforceable.
The Ministry further emphasized that there was no direct relationship between the timing of this deportation flight and the approaching federal elections in Germany.
In conjunction with the flight, protests were organized by the Niedersachsen Refugee Council, Seebrücke, and an anti-deportation network.
Activists specifically raised awareness of the case of a 30-year-old Yazidi man among the deportees, who comes from the Shingal region, a locality that suffered significant genocide against the Yazidi community by the Islamic State (IS) in 2014.
The landing of this flight in Baghdad symbolizes Germany's ongoing policy concerning the deportation of individuals lacking legal residency status.
The matters surrounding deportations and asylum procedures in Germany continue to be significant topics of discussion, particularly regarding the implications for vulnerable populations.
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