German state minister urges halt to deportation of Yazidis

Alla Shally

BREMEN, Germany - The interior minister of Germany’s Lower Saxony state on Thursday said she remains firmly opposed to the deportation of Yazidis, calling for a nationwide halt to returns in light of the genocide they suffered at the hands of the Islamic State (ISIS) a decade ago.

“I do not believe the situation of Yazidis is good in any way. I have strongly advocated for banning the general deportation of Yazidis from Germany, both at the regional and federal levels,” Daniela Behrens, interior and sports minister of the German state of Lower Saxony, told Rudaw.

Germany has stepped up efforts to deport rejected asylum seekers, including some Yazidis. In late January, the Bundestag passed a controversial motion to tighten enforcement against illegal immigration. The measure was backed by the ruling coalition and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), drawing criticism from civil society groups and some Social Democrats.

Amid rising anti-immigrant sentiments, the AfD polled second in the country’s February elections.

“The deportation of Yazidis must be stopped,” Behrens said, pointing to the mass killings committed by the Islamic State (ISIS) group against the Yazidi minority in Iraq. “These acts have been recognized as genocide in Germany and were acknowledged by a resolution in the federal parliament years ago.

“Unfortunately, we do not have a unanimous opinion on this matter,” Behrens said, without elaborating.

ISIS militants attacked the Yazidi heartland of Shingal in 2014, killing, kidnapping, and raping thousands. Germany has played a key role in the international coalition against ISIS and formally recognized the crimes as genocide in January 2023.

She noted that in Lower Saxony, Yazidi women facing deportation under federal rulings can still appeal to a local hardship commission. “Their case can be presented, and they cannot be deported,” she said, adding that the same protection applies to men.

“I continue to advocate that we acknowledge the special suffering of Yazidis and remain responsible toward them,” she said.