Dozens Help Prevent Deportation of Iranian Asylum Seeker in Germany
A 27-year-old Iranian convert to Christianity, who has been staying in a Protestant church in Solingen for the past ten months, was saved from deportation with the support of a pastor and church members. He was scheduled to be returned to his country of origin on Monday morning, January 7th.
Dozens of members of a Protestant church in Solingen, located in western Germany, joined hands to prevent the deportation of an Iranian asylum seeker taking refuge in the church. His asylum application had been rejected.
Police and immigration authorities have not disclosed his personal information to protect his privacy, but German media report he is 27 years old, has learned German, and has had a room in the church since March 2018. The church pastor has described his good integration into the community.
Local immigration authorities were scheduled to return this young man to his country of origin at 5 a.m. on Monday, January 7th. He converted to Christianity in his home country, entered France legally with a visa, but later came to Germany.
Under the Dublin Regulation, this young man has the right to apply for asylum only in France.
Newspaper “Bild” reports that in the presence of officials, the Iranian asylum seeker did not leave the church, and the pastor, invoking the right of “church sanctuary,” refused to allow anyone to enter the premises. Dozens of people present in the church, holding candles, prevented the young man from being removed.
Pastor Christian Lersch told the media: “A week before we received a fax about this young man’s deportation, we decided to organize a movement to support him.” He emphasized that the intention is not to break the law but rather to ensure proper and fair handling of the asylum case: “He should be returned to France according to the Dublin Regulation, but this country is by no means safe for Christian converts… If they are sent back to Iran, the minimum punishment for them would be imprisonment.”
German media reported that immigration officials spoke with the Iranian through a window, and he said he would not leave the church under any circumstances.
Since 2015, when a wave of asylum seekers flooded Germany and rejections increased, the number of church sanctuary cases has also risen. Relevant authorities have so far refrained from using force to remove asylum seekers taking refuge in churches.
Asylum seekers without legal residence rights in Germany can receive church support, but church officials are required to cooperate with the relevant authorities to comply with the law and designate a liaison to represent the asylum seeker to immigration authorities. Delay in this matter is considered concealment of the person and can result in a several-month postponement in processing the asylum case.
German news agency reports that after his asylum request was rejected, the young Iranian filed a complaint with the Administrative Court of Düsseldorf, and the case remains open. He has until mid-April to complete his case file.
Some German sources reported his age as 28 years old. Reports have also varied on the number of supporters, ranging between 100 to 200 people.
Source: DW
