The Potsdam Administrative Court has rejected an emergency application by a Yazidi family seeking reentry to Germany after their deportation to Iraq.The decision comes amid political pressure and public debate over whether the removal violated legal protections for survivors of a genocide perpetrated by the “Islamic State” (IS) militant group.
What did the court decide about the Yazidi family?
The court found no grounds to reverse the deportation, ruling that the family’s removal was lawful under a March 2023 decision by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). That decision rejected their protection claim as “manifestly unfounded” and found no obstacle to deportation.The judges said the deportation order had been enforceable since then. Another court order granted on July 22 — suspending the obligation to leave after an emergency appeal — was only delivered after the deportation was complete.In its Thursday ruling, the court said it did not believe the plaintiffs had suffered “individual persecution.” Furthermore, it found no significant individual threat, such as persecution by IS, nor sufficient evidence of current group persecution of Yazidis.
Why is the Yazidi family’s case controversial?
The family, two parents and four children, belonged to the Yazidi minority targeted in a 2014 IS genocide that was recognized by the German parliament in 2023. They had lived in Lychen, Brandenburg, for years, with the children integrated into local schools.Their deportation was part of a charter flight carrying 43 people from Leipzig to Baghdad. Authorities initially claimed only single men were on board, some with criminal records. It was eventually revealed that this was not the case and that the family were among the deportees.Brandenburg’s interior minister Rene Wilke called the situation “deeply concerning” and said he had asked federal authorities to work on bringing the family back — if the court ruling in their favor remained valid.The BAMF has defended its decision, citing the family’s failed asylum claim and the lack of recognized danger in Iraq under current assessments.Advocacy groups such as Nadia’s Initiative warn that Yazidi families in Germany face similar removal orders, causing widespread fear in the community. They argue that many Yazidis still cannot return safely due to destroyed villages, insecurity, and the presence of IS remnants.Politicians from the center-left Social Democrats, the environmentalist Greens, and the socialist Left Party have joined calls for the family’s return, citing Germany’s recognition of the genocide and moral responsibility toward survivors.The case has reignited debate over how German asylum policy should treat communities affected by mass atrocities — especially when legal rulings and humanitarian considerations appear to clash.
