Author: Haideh Faghiry

The recent 2024 reform proposal by the European Commission to expand the concept of “Safe Third Country” (STC) in asylum procedures marks a worrying step in Europe’s migration policy. This idea, which initially took shape with the 2016 Turkey-EU agreement and was reinforced through the Dublin Regulation, is now extending further — with the EU considering sending asylum seekers to additional “third countries” whose safety and capacity to protect refugees are highly questionable. Originally, the STC concept allowed EU states to refuse examining asylum claims if the applicant had passed through or had ties with a third country deemed “safe.”…

In a move that has sparked concern among human rights advocates, the German federal government is currently discussing suspending family reunification rights for people with subsidiary protection status—a group that includes many from war-torn countries such as Syria and Afghanistan. While the official rationale is framed in terms of migration control, many observers see this as a political maneuver to appeal to voters drifting toward the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD). Subsidiary protection is granted to individuals who are not recognized as refugees under the 1951 Geneva Convention but still face serious risks if returned to their home countries, such…

German authorities have issued deportation orders against four foreign nationals — 3 EU citizens from Ireland and Poland, and one American — citing their participation in a pro-Palestinian sit-in at the Free University of Berlin in October 2024. The Berlin Immigration Office accuses the individuals of supporting Hamas and inciting anti-Semitism, though no criminal convictions have been made. This decision has sparked widespread public debate about the boundaries between public security, freedom of expression, and the rights of foreign nationals in Germany. While the state defends its actions as necessary under its commitment to Israel’s security — known as the…

The European Commission’s proposal for a revised Facilitation Directive, released in 2023, is raising deep concerns among human rights advocates across Europe. Instead of addressing the well-documented harms caused by the existing 2002 Facilitation Directive, this new version threatens to expand the criminalisation of migrants and those who support them, according to the latest analysis by the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM). Silvia Carta, Advocacy Officer at PICUM, warns: “This study reflects what many human rights actors have been denouncing all along: the proposed Facilitation Directive risks leading to more people being arrested, fined or brought to…

The number of exiled journalists is increasing day by day with the rise of autocratic and authoritarian governments. Many of these journalists have been forced to leave their countries to escape threats to their lives, severe censorship, and media repression. A recent study published by Körber Stiftung examines the situation of these journalists in Germany, along with the challenges and opportunities they face. This report is based on this study. Global Crises and Their Impact on Increasing Migration of Journalists Several global crises in 2015 and 2016 (the war in Syria and media repression in Turkey) and from 2020 to…

Imagine losing your annual harvest and crops due to unprecedented heat waves, being forced to leave your home because of rising sea levels, or even losing your child to famine. This is the harsh reality for those living on the front lines of climate change, experiencing these crises first-hand. For them, climate change is not a distant threat—it’s happening right now. In many cases, these individuals are compelled to leave their homeland and live as refugees. Unfortunately, they are not protected by international laws. The term “climate refugees” may seem like a recent concept, but it has actually been part…