Germany

News: Europe

One German arrested in Egypt deported, another remains in custody Twenty-three-year-old Mahmoud Abdel Aziz has returned to Germany after weeks in Egyptian custody. Eighteen-year-old Isa El Sabbagh remains in detention.

January 11, 2019   

(Deutsche Welle) A 23-year-old German-Egyptian citizen detained by Egyptian authorities at Cairo airport on December 27 has arrived back home in the central German city of Göttingen. Germany’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the man’s return on Friday. Egypt’s state-run Al-Ahram newspaper said that […]

Crime

Afghanistan sends deported asylum-seeker back to Germany The government of Afghanistan has denied entry to a failed asylum-seeker deported by Germany. The Afghans say the man was turned back at the border as per agreement with the German government because he's mentally ill.

January 10, 2019   

(Deutsche Welle) In an article designed to raise the hackles of those worried about foreigners and crime, German daily Bild reported on Thursday that Afghanistan had turned away an Afghan deportee with a long criminal record at its border and sent him back […]

News: Europe

Germany introduces extremism counseling service The 'emel' service will mainly target Turkish- and Arabic-speaking families. Germany has seen a dramatic rise in young people becoming radicalized online in recent years.

January 9, 2019   

(Deutsche Welle) A new prototype project was launched in Germany on Wednesday, aimed at counseling parents who are concerned their children may be flirting with extremism. The Turkish Community in Germany (TGD) non-profit established the service primarily for Turkish- and Arabic-speaking parents, […]

Crime

Police refute claims of far-right patrols after migrant attacks Four asylum-seekers reportedly assaulted a dozen people in the Bavarian town of Amberg over the weekend, renewing debate over migration. The mayor rejected fears of vigilantism by the far-right NPD.

January 3, 2019   

(Deutsche Welle) A German far-right group claims to have carried out street patrols in the Bavarian town of Amberg where four asylum-seekers allegedly attacked a dozen passers-by over the weekend. The Nuremberg branch of the far-right National Democratic Party (NPD) posted pictures […]

Children & Teens

German interior minister renews call for stricter deportation laws in wake of Amberg attacks An attack by a group of asylum-seekers on passers-by in a Bavarian town has prompted Germany's interior minister to renew his longstanding call for stricter deportation laws. Amberg's mayor has called for caution.

January 2, 2019   

(Deutsche Welle) Germany’s Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said asylum-seekers who commit violent crimes must leave the country, after a group of apparently drunken teenagers attacked a dozen people in the Bavarian town of Amberg. “If existing laws are not sufficient, they must be changed,” Seehofer told […]

Government & Politics

Germany to curb mosque funding from Gulf states The German government has started to request that those countries register any funding they may provide to mosques in Germany, a report says. The move aims to discourage radicalization in German mosques.

December 28, 2018   

(Deutsche Welle) The German Foreign Ministry wants Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and other Gulf states to register any donations or state subsidies intended for mosques in Germany. According to daily Süddeutsche Zeitung and German broadcasters WDR and NDR, the government has involved […]

Government & Politics

Germany mulls introducing ‘mosque tax’ for Muslims The idea, similar to Germany's church tax, would aim to make mosques independent of foreign donors. Germany's government and progressive Muslim leaders have supported the idea.

December 26, 2018   

(Deutsche Welle) Lawmakers from Germany’s grand coalition government said on Wednesday that they were considering introducing a “mosque tax” for German Muslims, similar to the church taxes that German Christians pay. Thorsten Frei, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU), […]

Apostasy

Germany’s atheist refugees: When not believing is life-threatening They do not believe in God and want a life free from religious restrictions: They are atheist asylum-seekers. Not only are they threatened and sometimes killed in their homeland — even in Germany they face danger.

December 20, 2018   

(Deutsche Welle) Mahmudul Haque Munshi’s name was on a hit list in Bangladesh. After five of his friends and associates were murdered, the authorities warned the blogger: “There’s nothing more we can do for you.” Munshi had to leave the country in […]

Government & Politics

German court rejects AfD’s complaint over Angela Merkel’s refugee policy Judges on Germany's highest court unanimously threw out legal complaints brought by the AfD. They said far-right lawmakers failed to show how Merkel's 2015 decision to let in refugees was a constitutional violation.

December 18, 2018   

(Deutsche Welle) Germany’s Constitutional Court dismissed three complaints initiated by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) challenging German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s refugee policies in 2015. Judges on the high court unanimously rejected all the cases, which were brought by the AfD’s group […]

Clerics & Preachers

German police raid Berlin mosque over suspected ‘terror financing’ Authorities raided several buildings in the German capital as part of a larger terrorism probe. One imam is suspected of sending money to an Islamist fighter in Syria in order to carry out 'terrorist criminal acts.'

December 18, 2018   

(Deutsche Welle) Police raided a mosque and several other buildings in Berlin on Tuesday morning in an operation into suspected terrorism financing, prosecutors said. State criminal police, intelligence officers as well as special police forces took part in the raids, which included […]

Books

SPD begins 3rd bid to expel anti-Islam author Thilo Sarrazin Anti-Islam author Thilo Sarrazin again faces possible explusion from the Social Democrats. The center-left party has sought to ban the economist since his first of two critical bestsellers on Islam in Germany.

December 17, 2018   

(Deutsche Welle) He’s a longstanding Social Democrat and former board member of Germany’s central bank, the Bundesbank, but nowadays Thilo Sarrazin is better known as Germany’s bestselling author of a pair of books fiercely criticizing Muslim migration into Germany. The first, “Germany […]

Government & Politics

Germany’s terrorism watch list: What you need to know The suspected Strasbourg attacker was named on a French high-security watch list. German authorities, in turn, keep tabs on hundreds of potential terrorists — who are they and what are authorities doing about them?

December 13, 2018   

(Deutsche Welle) What is a “potential terrorist”? A potential terrorist (referred to in German as “Gefährder,” lit. “endangerer”) is someone who could pose a threat to public safety as certain “facts justify the assumption that he or she may commit a severe crime.” […]

Government & Politics

Germany will not put DITIB under surveillance: report Domestic intelligence agency gave up plans to put Turkish-Muslim group under surveillance, according to Welt am Sonntag

December 9, 2018   

(Anadolu) Germany’s domestic intelligence agency BfV gave up plans to put Turkish-Muslim umbrella group DITIB under surveillance, local media reported on Sunday. The DITIB, a Muslim organization founded by Turkish migrants in Germany, has become the target of anti-Turkey propaganda in recent […]

Government & Politics

German Bundestag votes to support UN migration pact A majority of German parliamentarians has voted in favor of a global pact aimed at regulating migration. Despite its nonbinding nature, the pact has increasingly come under fire from populists across the world.

November 29, 2018   

(Deutsche Welle) Germany’s parliament on Thursday voted to back a contentious UN pact aimed at promoting cooperation to deal with migration around the world. The ballot saw 372 parliamentarians vote for supporting the pact, with 153 against and 141 abstentions. While giving […]

Government & Politics

Seehofer tells Islam conference Muslims are a part of Germany Some have called it a U-turn, others see it in less dramatic terms. Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has said that 'Muslims are a part of Germany' on the opening day of the German Islam Conference.

November 28, 2018   

(Deutsche Welle) Horst Seehofer said on Wednesday in Berlin that “Muslims belong to Germany,” speaking as he presided over the fourth German Islam Conference (DIK). The comments drew particular attention given Seehofer’s past statement that Islam was not part of Germany. Seehofer said […]

Academics & Education

German Islam Conference reconvenes search for German Islam Interior Minister Horst Seehofer is convening the latest iteration of the German Islam Conference. The 2018 DIK will focus on integration, Islam and German law. Many new faces in attendance will make for lively debates.

November 27, 2018   

(Deutsche Welle) This year’s German Islam Conference (DIK) will be held on Wednesday and Thursday in Berlin. It has been over a year and a half since the last DIK. For this latest iteration, German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, of Bavaria’s Christian […]

Crime

Ban on deportations to Syria to remain, says Interior Minister Horst Seehofer A hopeful to replace German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the head of the Christian Democrats had called for Syrian refugees who commit crimes in Germany to be deported. Germany's interior minister disagrees.

November 23, 2018   

(Deutsche Welle) German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has ruled out ending a moratorium on deporting Syrians, including those whose asylum applications are denied or those who commit crimes in Germany. Seehofer told Der Spiegel magazine on Friday that the decision was made after publication […]

Government & Politics

CDU hopeful Merz decried as ‘Trump light’ for questioning asylum rights Opposition lawmakers have lodged hefty criticism against Merkel's could-be successor for questioning the right to asylum. The populist AfD said Merz has become more right-wing than they are.

November 22, 2018 and   

(Deutsche Welle) Friedrich Merz, the millionaire lawyer and financial manager who is hoping to lead the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) after Chancellor Angela Merkel steps down as party leader in December, was in trouble on Thursday after suggesting Germany should reopen the debate on […]

Government & Politics

Vying for Merkel’s job, Jens Spahn plays the migration card Conservative, gay and controversial: The 38-year-old politician has made immigration a focal point of his candidacy to become the CDU’s new leader.

November 22, 2018 and   

(Handelsblatt) Jens Spahn has long been preparing for a leading role in the post-Merkel CDU. He is currently health minister in Angela Merkel’s cabinet and a fellow Christian Democrat. And as soon as his boss resigned as party leader, he seized the […]

Clothing

German state plans to ban religious symbols from courts The state government of Lower Saxony is drafting a law that would ban judges and prosecutors from wearing religious clothing or symbols. Germany's justice minister has welcomed the plans.

November 20, 2018   

(Deutsche Welle) The government of Germany’s state of Lower Saxony plans to ban … judges and prosecutors from wearing religious symbols such as crosses or headscarves in the state’s courtrooms. Promoters of the measure say it is aimed at making clear that judges […]

Government & Politics

Germany plans to fast-track deportations of failed asylum-seekers Germany's Interior Ministry has proposed new measures to monitor and deport failed asylum-seekers. Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has said he is also looking at ways to repatriate known criminals to Syria.

November 18, 2018   

(Deutsche Welle) The German Interior Ministry on Sunday confirmed plans to facilitate and accelerate deportations of failed asylum-seekers along with those who should have their asylum requests processed in another EU country under the so-called Dublin rules. One of the measures submitted […]

Clothing

When your daughter suddenly becomes radicalized Children's life decisions are often difficult for parents to bear and even more difficult to understand — especially when the children radicalize themselves. DW met an affected German mother.

November 10, 2018 and   

(Deutsche Welle) It’s something no mother would ever want to experience. The unexpected appearance of state security officers on your doorstep, to inform you that your daughter was planning to leave for Syria to allegedly join the terrorist militia “Islamic State.” But […]