On Tuesday (23 December 2025), Germany’s Interior Ministry announced the deportation of a Syrian national convicted of criminal offenses in Germany. He was handed over to authorities in Damascus, marking the first deportation of its kind since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt stated: “Our society has a legitimate interest in ensuring that criminals leave our country.” The move followed months of negotiations with the Syrian government. Similar efforts are underway with Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities.
Human rights organizations condemned the decision, citing ongoing instability and documented human rights abuses in both Syria and Afghanistan.
Since the ouster of Bashar al-Assad about a year ago, Germany’s governing coalition has made the deportation of convicted Syrians a diplomatic priority. Austria had already carried out a similar deportation in July, becoming the first EU country to do so since 2011.
Sources - Agencies
