Rights Groups Sue German Ministers Over Failure to Protect Afghans Facing Deportation from Pakistan

Berlin, August 15, 2025 — Two prominent German human rights groups, Pro Asyl and Patenschaftsnetzwerk Ortskräfte, have filed a criminal complaint against Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, accusing them of failing to protect Afghan nationals in Pakistan who have already been approved for resettlement in Germany.

The complaint, submitted to Berlin prosecutors, alleges violations of Section 221 of the German Criminal Code, citing “abandonment” and “failure to render assistance.”

The move follows Pakistan’s intensified deportation drive, which has targeted even Afghans holding valid German admission approvals. Rights groups say more than 2,000 vulnerable Afghans — including former local staff, journalists, and human rights activists — are at risk. At least 400 have been detained and 34 deported to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, where they could face arrest, torture, or execution.

The case has drawn international attention, with calls for Germany to urgently uphold its legal and humanitarian commitments amid growing fears for those left stranded.