In an open letter, 250 organizations are calling on the German government to accept vulnerable people from Afghanistan ahead of International Human Rights Day on Wednesday.
“Do everything in your power now to bring the Afghans with admission promises to Germany by the end of the year,” read the letter addressed by name to Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt and Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul seen by dpa on Tuesday.
The German coalition government had initially halted admission programmes for people from Afghanistan at the beginning of May.
However, in recent weeks, several flights have brought Afghans with admission promises from Pakistan to Germany. In total, nearly 1,900 Afghans from various admission programmes are still hoping for admission to Germany.
Among them are former local staff with their relatives who had worked for German institutions before the Taliban retook power more than four years ago.
‘Litmus test for reliability, credibility and humanity’
Among the signatories of the open letter are Pro Asyl (Pro Asylum), Brot für die Welt (Bread for the World), Amnesty International Germany and Human Rights Watch.
Helen Rezene, co-managing director of Pro Asyl, called the acceptance of all people with admission promises the “litmus test for the reliability, credibility and humanity of this federal government.”
The organizations specifically are demanding the immediate, unbureaucratic departure before the end of the year and the completion of security checks and visa procedures as quickly as possible for all admission programmes.
Furthermore, the German government should use all possibilities in discussions with the Pakistani government to prevent further deportations of those affected to Afghanistan and to ensure safe accommodation until the procedures are completed, they said.
Karlsruhe: Rapid decision on visas demanded
The judiciary is also dealing with the admission of Afghans: Just last week, the Federal Constitutional Court ruled in the case of a former judge at the Supreme Court of Afghanistan.
He, his wife, and their four children have been waiting for years to enter Germany. The court obliged Germany to decide on the visa applications immediately.