All deportations of the Ahmadis from Germany should be stopped

Mrs Angela Merkel

Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany

Brussels, the 12 November 2021

Copies:

1.    Ahmed Shaheed (Special Rapporteur on freedom of Religion or Belief)

2.    Dunja Mijatovic (Commissioner of Human Rights, Council of Europe)

3.    Michelle Bachelet Jeria (United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights)

All deportations of the Ahmadis from Germany should be stopped

Dear Respected Angela Merkel,

We write as an informal group of organizations and individuals who are scholars, religious leaders and human rights advocates. We are from many faiths or acting in a secular capacity, representing a high degree of diversity. While there may be very little we agree on theologically, or politically, we all agree on the importance of freedom of religion or belief for all faiths and none. 

With this letter, we respectfully urge you to stop all deportations of the Ahmadis from Germany.  

Recently in September 2021, a report was issued by the UK Home Office titled “Country Policy and Information Note Pakistan: Ahmadis” where it was clearly stated: 

“The background to the risk faced by Ahmadis is legislation that restricts the way in which they are able openly to practise their faith. The legislation not only prohibits preaching and other forms of proselytising but also in practice restricts other elements of manifesting one’s religious beliefs, such as holding open discourse about religion with non-Ahmadis, although not amounting to proselytising. The prohibitions include openly referring to one’s place of worship as a mosque and to one’s religious leader as an Imam. In addition, Ahmadis are not permitted to refer to the call to prayer as azan nor to call themselves Muslims or refer to their faith as Islam. Sanctions include a fine and imprisonment and if blasphemy is found, there is a risk of the death penalty which to date has not been carried out although there is a risk of lengthy incarceration if the penalty is imposed’ (Page 11). “

In addition, recently the three Special Rapporteurs of the UN (Ahmad Shaheed Specia Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief; Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression; Fernand de Varennes, Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues) issued a joint statement highlighting the perilous situation for Ahmadis in Pakistan: 

In addition, a Joint Motion for a Resolution that was adopted on 28 April 2021 by the European Parliament (2021/2647(RSP) recognised Pakistan as a dangerous country for Ahmadis where they face persecution and their lives are at risk. Please find enclosed the full resolution. 

AHMADIS FACING DEPORTATION IN GERMANY:  

This month two innocent Ahmadis were deported: 

Name: Waqar Ahmad Tallah

Date of Birth:   17.10.1989

Status:  In Germany since September 2018. 

Name: Hafeez Ahmad

Date of Birth:   12.05.1959

Status:  In Germany again since June 2012. 

Cases are being rejected continually. Around 350/400 Ahmadis are facing threat of deportation. On average, two Ahmadis are on deportation flights to Pakistan from Germany every month.

Courts in eastern areas of Germany reject 100% of cases. Most of them have no right to appeal and are asked to leave the country as soon as possible.

People are homeless, without jobs, they spend nights on the streets because of fear of deportation. Social help and medical facilities have been withdrawn in order to pressurize them further. There are many such cases in East Germany.

German authorities are deporting innocent asylum-seekers belonging to the Ahmadiyya faith in breach of all national and international laws and conventions. The eligibility guidelines of the UNHCR explicitly state that:

“In light of the foregoing, UNHCR considers that members of the Ahmadi community, including those targeted by militant groups or charged with criminal offences under the blasphemy or anti-Ahmadi provisions, are likely to be in need of international refugee protection on account of religion, ethnicity, (imputed) political opinion, and/or other relevant grounds, depending on the individual circumstances of the case.”

Despite clear and unequivocal guidelines by the UNHCR, the deportation and denial of asylum cases by German courts and immigration authorities are placing the lives of Ahmadis at risk.

The Ahmadis in Pakistan are continuously facing brutal and unjust criminal charges, due to their faith. Additionally, the official latest Report of the Dutch Government, United Kingdom

Home Office of 2021 and Austrian Red Cross (ACCORD) testify that:

“Unlike the position of Ahmadis, Christians in general are permitted to practise their faith,can attend church, participate in religious activities and have their own schools and hospitals”. This shows the brutal and horrific treatment of Ahmadis in Pakistan.  Please find enclosed copies of all reports.

Germany has always been at the forefront of protecting minorities and is the signatory of multiple international conventions. As the European Parliamentarian recognized, Ahmadis in Pakistan are religiously, socially, and economically discriminated against and all their rights  particularly the right to profess and practice their faith have been taken away. 

We appeal to the German Authorities and those concerned parties to acknowledge the fact that the Blasphemy laws are a real and existential threat to the fundamental human rights of minorities including Ahmadis as noted by the Resolution passed on 28 April 2021 by the European Parliament (2021/2647(RSP).

REQUEST: We urge the German Government to stop the deportation of all other Ahmadis to Pakistan, who can potentially face life imprisonment or the death penalty under blasphemy law for practicing their belief. These members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community are currently seeking protection in Germany. 

Respectfully,

Organizations

Ahmadiyya Muslim Association-France

Ahmadiyya Muslim Association Ireland

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community UK

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA

Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Germany

Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at of Canada

Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at of Greece

All Faiths Network

Bitter Winter, a daily magazine on religious liberty and human rights

Church of Scientology National Affairs Office Washington, DC

CESNUR (Center for Studies on New Religions)

Coordination des Associations et des Particuliers pour la Liberté de Conscience

Dutch Network on Interfaith Dialogue

European Federation for Freedom of Belief (FOB)

European Interreligious Forum for Religious Freedom (EIFRF) 

European Office of the Church of Scientology for Public Affairs and Human Rights 

Hindus for Human Rights 

Human Rights Without Frontiers 

International Human Rights Committee

International Institute for Religious Freedom

International Organization to Preserve Human Rights

ORLIR (International Observatory of Religious Liberty of Refugees)

Parity

Set My People Free

The Center for Studies on Freedom of Religion Belief and Conscience (LIREC) – Rome

The Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice

Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam

Individuals

Naseer Ahmed Shahid

Missionary In charge 

Ahmadiyya Muslim Association-France

Professor Eileen Barker 

FBA, FAcSS, OBE

Mussarat Chaudhry 

President 

Lajna Immaillah Frauenorganisation Pinneberg

Vicki Dunstan

Church of Scientology Australia

Rev. Marian Edmonds-Allen

Executive Director

Parity

Bhakra Gani

Musician

Bhakra.com

Hamid Gharagozloo 

Representative

International Organization to Preserve Human Rights

Lauren Homer

President

Law and Liberty Trust

Farhan Khokhar

National Vice President

Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama`at Canada

Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett

President

The Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice

Amjad Mahmood Khan

National Director of Public Affairs

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA

Nasim Malik

General Secretary

International Human Rights Committee

Shahzad Malik

General Secretary 

Ahmadiyya Muslim Association Ireland

Mohammad Suleman Malik

Spokesman 

Islamic Ahmadiyya community in Erfurt

Sheeza Munir 

National president for women

Auxiliary organisation Lajna Imaillah Denmark

Dennis P. Petri, PhD

International Director

International Institute for Religious Freedom

Bachittar Singh Ughrha

Founder and President

Center for defence of human rights

Founder and vice President

Gurdwara (Sikh Temple) Geneva

Johannes Steijnebrugh 

Chair Dutch Network Interreligious Dialogue

Hon. Rollin A. Van Broekhoven

JD, LLM, DPhil, DLitt, DPS (Hon), LLD (Hon)

International Law Professor, China University of Political Science and Law (Beijing, China)

Visiting Scholar, University of Oxford Centre for Socio-Legal Studies (Oxford, UK)

Senior Associate, Oxford House Research Consultancy (Oxford, UK)

Legal & Cultural Consultant, Asian Center for Law and Culture (Beijing, China)

All deportations of the Ahmadis from Germany should be stopped

Home Office Country Policy and Information Note Pakistan Ahmadis

ICJ Violations of the Right to Freedom of Religion or Belief in Pakistan

UN three SRs joint statement issued on Ahmadiyya Persecution worldwide issued on 13 July 2021

USCIRF 2021 Ahmadiyya Persecution Factsheet