Children & Teens

Germany accepts first 139 refugees from Greece’s burned-out Moria camp A group of children suffering serious health problems and their immediate families arrived in Germany. It was the first resettlement flight after the notorious refugee camp burned down earlier this month.

(Deutsche Welle) The first group of refugees from the razed Moria camp arrived in Germany from Greece on Wednesday. A group of 139 people — unaccompanied children, children suffering from serious health problems and their immediate families — arrived in Hannover, in […]

Christians

German court quashes ban on mosque’s call to prayer The call to prayer had been banned after a Christian couple complained that it intruded on their religious freedoms. The court ruled that the call to prayer did not violate the rights of those who heard it.

(Deutsche Welle) A court in the western German city of Münster on Wednesday ruled that a local mosque is permitted to perform its Friday call to prayer. It follows an appeal by the town of Oer-Erkenschwick against the prior decision to revoke the mosque’s permission. “Every […]

Children & Teens

Moria migrants: Germany, France will take in 400 children from Greece’s refugee camp Berlin and Paris said they plan to move 400 minors from the Greek migrant camp destroyed in a blaze. Angela Merkel said she hoped other EU nations would assume a 'shared responsibility' and accept some of the minors.

(Deutsche Welle) German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed to a deal that would allow 400 unaccompanied minors from the Greek migrant camp to move to other parts of the European Union, Merkel confirmed on Thursday. Merkel, whose country […]

Demonstrations

Clashes break out in Norway at anti-Islam rally Tensions in the Norwegian capital came to a head when an anti-Islam protester ripped pages from the Quran. Police used tear gas to keep rival groups separated, arresting nearly 30 people.

(Deutsche Welle) Clashes broke out at an anti-Islam rally in the Norwegian capital of Oslo on Saturday, prompting authorities to end the event early. The rally, organized by the group Stop Islamization of Norway (SIAN), took place near the parliament building. Hundreds […]

Academics & Education

Berlin teacher headscarf ban is illegal, rules top court The ruling is the latest in a long-running legal battle brought by a Muslim woman who was banned from teaching in the city. Some lawmakers are now calling for Berlin's controversial neutrality act to be changed.

(Deutsche Welle) Germany’s Federal Labor Court on Thursday ruled that a blanket ban on teachers wearing headscarves in schools in the capital city Berlin was unconstitutional. The court decision was the latest in a case brought by a Muslim woman who was unable to […]

Clothing

Burqa ban, face mask laws frustrate Dutch Muslims One year after the burqa ban in the Netherlands, Muslim women have reported increased discrimination and violence. Adding to the frustration, face masks against COVID-19 have become mandatory on Dutch public transport.

(Deutsche Welle) Walking quickly across the Bos en Lommerplein, a square in the west of Amsterdam, Emarah* stands out. Raindrops run down her long black burqa, soaking the bottom of the black body-covering garment. It has been three years since she first […]

Books

Germany: SPD formally expels former Berlin senator Thilo Sarrazin An arbitration committee upheld the Social Democrats' decision to expel Sarrazin over Islamophobic rhetoric. The ruling marked the party's third attempt to oust him after almost a decade fighting in court.

(Deutsche Welle) Germany’s Social Democrats (SPD) have finally managed to expel controversial politician turned author Thilo Sarrazin, who has published a series of books over the last decade bearing little resemblance to the party’s stated positions. Sarrazin’s books criticizing the lack of […]

News: Europe

France: The long shadow of the Saint-Michel terrorist attacks Twenty-five years ago, France was shaken by a radical Islamist attack that inspired a new generation of terrorists. The trail also [led] to France's disadvantaged housing projects, putting them in the national focus.

(Deutsche Welle) The bomb went off in the heart of Paris at 5:30 p.m., the height of the post-workday rush hour. A giant fireball raced down the platform of the Saint-Michel–Notre-Dame metro station after a gas container filled with shrapnel exploded in […]

Children & Teens

Families of French IS members in Syria battle to bring them back Families in France are growing more determined to bring back relatives who left to join the so-called Islamic State. Dozens of French women and children recently vanished from the radar, leaving relatives desperate.

(Deutsche Welle) Antoine* is used to standing his ground. The trade unionist has defended workers’ rights his whole life. But when his daughter M. suddenly left to join so-called Islamic State (IS) in Iraq five years ago, he hit rock bottom. “It […]

Crime

Germany: Freiburg gang rapists to spend years in prison Ten of 11 men accused in the gang rape of a woman in the southern city of Freiburg in 2018 have been sentenced to jail terms. The case was seized upon by anti-immigration populists, as most of the men are refugees.

(Deutsche Welle) A German regional court on Thursday handed jail sentences of up to five and a half years to members of a group of men accused of jointly raping an 18-year-old woman in the southern city of Freiburg in October 2018. […]

Arts & Entertainment

Germany: Backlash after Düsseldorf enlists rapper Farid Bang for coronavirus video The German city of Düsseldorf has come under fire for collaborating with controversial rapper Farid Bang to produce a coronavirus social distancing appeal video. The artist has been accused of anti-Semitism in the past.

(Deutsche Welle) The anti-Semitism commissioner from Germany’s most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia, has sharply criticized a video featuring controversial German rapper Farid Bang which calls on people to observe COVID-19 social distancing regulations. The short video was produced in collaboration with the […]

Academics & Education

German state bans burqas, niqabs in schools Baden-Württemberg will now ban full-face coverings for all school children. State Premier Winfried Kretschmann said burqas and niqabs did not belong in a free society. A similar rule for teachers was already in place.

(Deutsche Welle) The government of the western German state of Baden-Württemberg agreed on Tuesday to ban full-face coverings, often known as burqa or niqab, in schools. The new rule comes as the topic of Muslim face coverings has been hotly debated in […]

Law Enforcement

Police in Germany conduct raids on suspected Islamists in Berlin Berlin police are investigating 12 suspects who are accused of financing terrorism, among other crimes. Investigators have carried out a total of 20 search warrants.

(Deutsche Welle) Investigators from Berlin’s Office of Criminal Investigation (LKA) are executing 20 search warrants against 12 suspects from the Islamist scene, Berlin’s public prosecutor’s office said on Wednesday. A total of 450 officers and police officials were deployed in the operation, […]

Children & Teens

Female genital mutilation: Report shows 68,000 victims in Germany A report estimates that the number of victims of female genital mutilation in Germany has increased by 44% since 2017, and nearly 15,000 girls may be at risk. The minister responsible linked the increase to migration.

(Deutsche Welle) The amount of women and girls in Germany who have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM) has increased to 68,000, the families minister announced Thursday. The increase, up 44% from the last estimated total calculated in 2017, was attributed to greater […]

Immigration

Migrant crossings into Europe spiked in May: report The number of migrants seeking to enter the EU tripled in May compared to the previous month. It's a sign traffic along Europe's migration routes is picking up again after a lull brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Deutsche Welle) European border agency Frontex recorded a sharp increase in migrants hoping to enter the EU last month, German media reported Sunday. The spike comes after coronavirus lockdowns and widespread border closures cut the number of potential asylum-seekers able to reach […]

Government & Politics

Berlin police officer accused of leaking information to AfD after Christmas market attack A police officer allegedly leaked information about the Berlin Christmas market attack to friends in the far-right AfD. One of the recipients is a suspect in right-wing attacks in the German capital.

(Deutsche Welle) German prosecutors are investigating a police officer for allegedly distributing internal police information on the 2016 Berlin terror attack to friends in the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, public broadcasters reported Friday. The officer, himself a member of the […]

Government & Politics

Coronavirus: Experts warn of bioterrorism after pandemic The Council of Europe has warned of a potential increase in the use of biological weapons, like viruses or bacterias, in a post-coronavirus world. Terrorists would not forget 'lessons learned' during the pandemic.

(Deutsche Welle) Security experts from the Council of Europe have warned that the global coronavirus outbreak may increase the use of biological weapons by terrorists in the future. “The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how vulnerable modern society is to viral infections and […]

Government & Politics

Over 100 ‘Islamic State’ fighters return to Germany Authorities say a third of Islamic State fighters who left Germany for Syria have since returned. Germany is taking a 'holistic approach' in dealing with ex-jihadi fighters, including deradicalization and reintegration.

(Deutsche Welle) Germany’s Interior Ministry said Sunday that over 100 members of the so-called “Islamic State” (IS) terrorist group have returned to the country following the jihadi [network’s] failed incursions in Iraq and Syria. “Security authorities obtained knowledge that they actively engaged […]

Legal

EU agency wants ‘IS’ returnees charged with war crimes A new report from an EU-backed genocide investigation body says adding war crimes and genocide to terrorism charges for 'IS' fighters returning to the EU will lead to tougher sentences and 'more justice' for victims.

(Deutsche Welle) Former “Islamic State” (IS) fighters who returned to Europe from conflicts in Iraq and Syria should be charged with war crimes along with terrorism, said a report released Saturday by the EU-backed “Genocide Network.” According to the network, many so-called […]

Legal

Prosecuting IS returnees in Germany requires the law’s longest arm An increasing number of 'Islamic State' returnees are standing trial in Germany, including female supporters of the terror group. To make their case, federal prosecutors are relying on international criminal law.

(Deutsche Welle) Taha A.-J.*, an Iraqi man believed to have belonged to the “Islamic State” (IS), has been standing trial in Frankfurt since late April on charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. At the center of his trial is […]

Immigration

Spain eclipses Germany as top destination for asylum-seekers: report New figures show refugee arrivals to the Mediterranean country outnumbering those in Germany, thanks to asylum-seekers from Latin America. But a resurgent 'Islamic State' could prompt more people to flee Iraq and Syria.

(Deutsche Welle) Germany is no longer the top destination for asylum-seekers in Europe, according to a German media report on Wednesday. German daily Die Welt, citing unpublished numbers from the European Union’s asylum agency EASO, reported that Spain has surpassed Germany in the number […]

Law Enforcement

Germany: Alleged attacker of Turkish shops was IS supporter A man suspected of carrying out attacks on Turkish shops in Bavaria was a follower of the Islamic State (IS) armed group, local authorities have said. He had several pipe bombs in his bag when police arrested him.

(Deutsche Welle) A man suspected of carrying out attacks against Turkish-owned businesses in the Bavarian town of Waldkraiburg is a sympathizer of the Islamic State, police authorities said Sunday in an online press conference. The 25-year-old justified his hatred towards Turks and […]

Government & Politics

Refugee policy EU’s ‘biggest inadequacy,’ says Germany’s Heiko Maas Germany's foreign minister took aim at the EU's approach to refugees, saying nothing has been solved since the 2015 migrant crisis. He also called again for a scheme to distribute asylum-seekers across the EU.

(Deutsche Welle) German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has accused European Union member states of not doing enough to solve the continent’s migrant dilemma. Speaking at an online conference hosted by re:publica and the Media Convention Berlin, Maas said the manner with which […]

Government & Politics

German government bans Hezbollah — Interior Ministry Authorities have designated Hezbollah a terrorist organization and banned its activity on German soil. Police conducted raids on four associations linked to the Islamist group.

(Deutsche Welle) German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer on Thursday banned all Hezbollah activities in the country, his ministry spokesman said on Twitter. He also confirmed that “police measures are underway in several federal states concurrently,” and added that even in times of […]

Legal

German-Afghan spy gets nearly 7 years for treason The man passed on state secrets to the Iranian secret service while working as a translator for the German military. Now a Koblenz court has handed him a lengthy prison sentence.

(Deutsche Welle) A former Afghan translator to the German military has been handed six years and 10 months in prison after being charged with treason for selling secrets to the Iranian secret service. The Koblenz court also found his wife, Asiea S., […]

Children & Teens

Germany open to resettling children from Greek refugee camps Germany's government is seeking a 'coalition of the willing' to take in the children across Europe. The EU wants to avoid a repeat [of] the 2015 refugee crisis as thousands of refugees and migrants gather at Greece's border.

(Deutsche Welle) Germany is prepared to take in “an appropriate share” of the neediest refugee children housed in overcrowded Greek migrant camps, German officials said on Monday. The country is set [to] take children in as part of “a coalition of the willing” […]

Demonstrations

Germany: Thousands rally urging government to accept more refugees Berlin has insisted that the EU's 'borders are not open' despite a new push of migrants and refugees at the Turkish-Greek frontier. Up to 5,000 people have gathered in the northern city, chanting 'Hamburg has space.'

(Deutsche Welle) Up to 5,000 people gathered in Hamburg on Saturday in protest of the German government’s handling of the fresh migrant crisis unfolding at the Turkish-Greek border. The rally took place in response to the rush by thousands of … migrants […]

Children & Teens

Germany: Alleged IS terrorist goes on trial The German convert is accused of taking her three children to Syria without the knowledge or consent of their father. The eldest son, trained as a child soldier aged 7, is thought to have died in a 2018 rocket attack.

(Deutsche Welle) A court in the western city of Düsseldorf … was scheduled Friday to hear a set of charges filed by federal prosecutors against a 32-year-old mother, accused of joining the Islamic State (“IS”) terrorist group. The woman, originally from Oberhausen […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Germany’s Seehofer touts expert panel on Islamophobia after Hanau killings An expert group to tackle Islamophobia in Germany has been floated by Chancellor Angela Merkel's interior minister. The move follows a racist multiple shooting last week and precedes an integration summit in Berlin.

(Deutsche Welle) Interior Minister Horst Seehofer announced on Saturday the creation of an “independent expert group on Islamophobia” (Muslimfeindlichkeit), saying it would emulate current ministerial panels on anti-Semitism and antiziganism, meaning hostility toward Jewish and Roma communities respectively. His call follows a charge […]

Clothing

Headscarf ban for trainee lawyers ruled constitutional The German state of Hesse bans headscarves from being worn by lawyers and trainee lawyers in courtrooms. A woman had hoped to prove this was unconstitutional; but the German top court judges thought otherwise.

(Deutsche Welle) A headscarf ban for lawyers and trainees in German courtrooms is not unconstitutional, ruled the country’s top court on Thursday. A German-Moroccan law student had hoped to prove that the law in Hesse, which forbids headscarves during training in the courtroom, was […]

Children & Teens

Germany indicts Iraqi man over death of Yazidi slave girl The man has been accused of letting the 5-year-old die of thirst after keeping her as a slave in Iraq. The suspect and his wife, German national Jennifer W., allegedly left the girl chained up before she perished.

(Deutsche Welle) German prosecutors said on Friday they had indicted an Iraqi man for allegedly leaving a Yazidi girl to die of thirst. He and his wife kept the 5-year-old as a slave in Iraq and his spouse, a German convert to Islam, is already […]

News: Europe

Over 60 Germans among Islamists in Idlib An analysis of text and video messages from jihadis in Idlib reveals over 60 Germans among their ranks, German media report. Syrian President Bashar Assad is determined to retake the region.

(Deutsche Welle) More than 60 Germans are fighting in Idlib, the last stronghold of foreign fighters in northwest Syria, according to reports by the German broadcaster SWR on Sunday. SWR reviewed transcripts of instant messages sent by the fighters and determined that the […]

Academics & Education

German authorities, politicians divided on niqab, burqa ban Politicians across party lines agree that the niqab and the burqa are out of place at schools and universities. Some, however, fear that a ban could hamper integration into German society.

(Deutsche Welle) There are very few women and girls in Germany wearing a full-face veil such as the niqab or the burqa — most likely a mere two-digit number. A recent verdict handed down by a Hamburg court, however, has sparked a […]

Children & Teens

Female genital mutilation feels ‘like living in a dead body’ More than 70,000 women in Germany have undergone female genital mutilation, and a rising number of young girls are considered at risk — even though it's illegal. It's prompted Berlin to set up a national anti-FGM office.

(Deutsche Welle) After Shadia Abdelmoneim’s third child was born, while she was still under anesthetic, her midwife performed female genital mutilation (FGM) on her without her consent. It led to a lengthy period of shock thereafter where she found it difficult to […]

Immigration

Germany: Islamist jailed over planned terror attack A Berlin court has sentenced an Islamist to more than five years in jail for preparing a dangerous bomb attack. The man is from the same milieu as Berlin Christmas market attacker Anis Amri.

(Deutsche Welle) A Berlin court on Friday sentenced a 32-year-old Islamist to five years and four months in prison for planning a serious terror attack involving explosives. The man, identified only as Magomed-Ali C. under German privacy laws, is thought to have […]

Law Enforcement

German police raid ‘Islamists’ suspected of planning attack Prosecutors in Berlin said that the suspects are believed to have staked out locations for a future 'Islamist-motivated' attack. Evidence gathered so far does not indicate that there were any concrete attack plans.

(Deutsche Welle) Police carried out raids at properties across four German states on Tuesday morning, targeting suspected Islamists who were believed to be “planning a serious violent act endangering the state.” Prosecutors in Berlin said the suspects were of “Chechen origin from […]

Immigration

Germany jails jihadi for Syrian massacre An ex-member of al-Qaida affiliate Nusra Front has been sentenced to life in prison for involvement in a 2013 massacre of regime forces. Prosecutors have sought to jail war criminals who arrived in Germany as refugees.

(Deutsche Welle) A German court on Monday sentenced a 31-year-old Syrian man to life in prison for double homicide and accessory to 17 counts of murder committed during his time as an Islamist militant. The former Nusra Front jihadi was found guilty […]

Academics & Education

Would Turkish schools in Germany increase Erdogan’s influence abroad? The German government is working out a possible framework for opening Turkish schools in three German cities. DW dives into what that would look like in practice.

(Deutsche Welle) The German government announced on Friday negotiations with Ankara to create a framework for Turkish schools to be opened in Berlin, Cologne and Frankfurt, sparking debate over the schools’ role in increasing Turkish President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan’s political influence abroad. […]

Government & Politics

Fearing Soleimani reprisal, Germany revises terror threat level The country's top police institution fears Israeli and US facilities could be targeted by terrorists following the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. Many German states are already on high alert.

(Deutsche Welle) Germany has revised its terror threat levels at home and abroad following the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, the country’s Interior Ministry said, confirming an earlier report by a German newspaper. Updated guidance was sent to police in Germany’s 16 states by […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Denmark: Young women fight the government’s ghetto list Denmark draws up a list of areas it dubs 'ghettos' every year. This time, a group of young women from one of the vulnerable neighborhoods has been trying to put a stop to what they see as stigmatization.

(Deutsche Welle) This year four young women from one of Denmark’s so-called ghettos, Tingbjerg, had had enough. In an open letter to Housing Minister Kaare Dybvad, they protested against the annual “ghetto list” of underprivileged neighborhoods that the Danish government presents each […]

Immigration

Germany’s police chief says country struggles to deport foreigners Germany's federal police chief said a lack of pre-deportation facilities is hampering the deportation of rejected asylum seekers and illegal foreigners to third countries.

(Deutsche Welle) Germany is struggling to deport rejected asylum seekers, the country’s top police chief said on Wednesday. Federal police chief Dieter Romann blamed a lack of pre-deportation facilities for deportations not being carried out. Speaking to Germany’s Funke media group, he […]

Law Enforcement

Germany: Nine terror attacks prevented since Berlin Christmas market killings Police say two terror-related incidents were prevented last month alone. Germany has been on heightened alert for fresh atrocities following the death of 'Islamic State' (IS) leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in October.

(Deutsche Welle) Since the 2016 terrorist attack in Berlin’s Breitscheidplatz, German authorities have prevented a further nine attacks of a similar nature, the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) said Sunday. Indeed, last month alone, two acts of terror were thwarted, the BKA told Germany’s Welt […]

Law Enforcement

Germany: Berlin Christmas market evacuated over reported suspicious objects The Christmas market at Breitscheidplatz, where an Islamist terrorist carried out a deadly truck attack in 2016, was evacuated over reports of suspicious packages. But police later said nothing of the sort was found.

(Deutsche Welle) German police said on Saturday that they had asked visitors to Berlin’s Christmas market at Breitscheidplatz to leave the area after receiving information about suspicious objects. A concert event at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church had also been broken off as […]

Government & Politics

Germany: Fewer Islamists pose terror risk The number of Islamists posing a terrorist risk in Germany has decreased, according to figures from Germany's Interior Ministry. One official put this down to increased vigilance following the 2016 Berlin terror attack.

(Deutsche Welle) The threat from potential Islamist terrorists in Germany has decreased from last year, according to data from the German Interior Ministry. A total of 679 Islamic extremists in Germany were considered to pose a terrorist risk at the beginning of November 2019, compared […]

Immigration

Germany: Police presence on migrant deportation flights nearly doubles The number of police officers escorting deported migrants from Germany has risen sharply over the past four years. Security staff are feeling the strain over safety concerns and distant destinations.

(Deutsche Welle) The number of police officers accompanying deportation flights in Germany has nearly doubled in four years, despite overall deportations decreasing. There were nearly 11,000 police officers on deportation flights in 2018, compared with 5,841 in 2014 — a jump of 5,639 in a […]

Government & Politics

Germany deported more than 90 ‘potential terrorists’ Since 2016, Germany has deported a number of people suspected of being willing or capable of carrying out terrorist attacks. The government figures were released in response to a parliamentary inquiry.

(Deutsche Welle) Germany has deported 90 “Gefährder” and other “relevant persons” since the 2016 attack on a Berlin Christmas market, according to German newsmagazine Der Spiegel, which cited a government response to a parliamentary inquiry on Friday. In Germany a “Gefährder” (lit. “endangerer”) […]

Demonstrations

Iranian journalists in Europe face threats and harassment from regime in Tehran Many Iranian journalists working for foreign media outlets say officials back home are harassing their family members in an attempt to silence critical reporting from abroad. DW spoke to some of the affected journalists.

(Deutsche Welle) Some Iranian journalists living and working abroad have been getting bad news when calling home after discovering that parents and siblings have been interrogated and detained. For years, Iranian authorities have been putting pressure on family members to silence critical journalists […]

Crime

Germany: Dangerous criminals to be deported to Syria? The German Foreign Ministry says risks are still too great to send migrants back to Syria. But Germany's state interior ministers have said they have agreed to return felons convicted of serious crimes.

(Deutsche Welle) Interior ministers from Germany’s 16 federal states agreed at their annual meeting Thursday to relax a moratorium on deportations to Syria. The chairman of the “Innenministerkonferenz” (interior ministers’ conference), Hans-Joachim Grote said there was cross-party consensus. “The ban on deportations […]

Immigration

Germany: Thousands of migrants return after deportation, report says Thousands of asylum-seekers in Germany have returned multiple times after deportation, according to a report in German media. Those with entry bans often serve a few months in jail or are not arrested at all.

(Deutsche Welle) Thousands of migrants in Germany have applied for asylum multiple times and return to the country after having been deported, according to a report by German newspaper Die Welt am Sonntag published on Sunday. There are nearly 5,000 asylum-seekers who […]

Books

Controversial German ex-politician’s speech canceled after threats Social Democrat politician Thilo Sarrazin, who has written several books criticizing Islam, was due to appear in Bremen. Local media said staff were put under pressure to drop the event amid planned left-wing protests.

(Deutsche Welle) Thilo Sarrazin, who has been accused by Islamic organizations of racism and damaging Germany’s reputation, will no longer appear at a private business club in the northwestern city of Bremen next month. The Weser-Kurier newspaper cited organizers as saying the […]