Don't abandon Afghan families who have been offered asylum.
With a joint demonstration in front of the German Bundestag Terre des Hommes , together with Pro Asyl, Amnesty International, Kabul Airlift, the International Rescue Committee, and many other organizations, made it clear: People with German resettlement commitments must not be left behind. Numerous members of parliament were present, including Lars Castellucci, the Federal Government's Commissioner for Human Rights. Many Afghans spoke and vividly described their situation. An oversized copy of the open letter that Terre des Hommes , together with more than 250 organizations, sent last week to Federal Interior Minister Dobrindt and Federal Foreign Minister Wadephul was also part of the demonstration.
Among those affected in Pakistan is a former employee of a Terre des Hommes partner organization. Due to his particular commitment to women's and children's rights, he and his family are at high risk in Afghanistan.
Terre des Hommes demands
- Immediate evacuations: For all people with a commitment to accept refugees, immediate, unbureaucratic departure before the end of the year must be initiated.
- A swift conclusion of the procedures without further delay: Security checks and visa procedures must be completed as quickly as possible for all admission programs – including the Human Rights List and the Transitional Programme.
- Protection from deportations to Afghanistan: The German government must use all available means in its discussions with the Pakistani government to prevent further deportations of those affected to Afghanistan and to guarantee safe accommodation until the conclusion of the legal proceedings.
background
- The admission of the people stranded in Pakistan was debated yesterday in several committees of the German Bundestag and during the government's question time with the Chancellor. Most of them are women and children. They all face deportation to Afghanistan from January 2026 onwards if the German government does not act now.
- On December 10, 2025, the Federal Ministry of the Interior also announced that 640 Afghans with admission commitments via the human rights list and the bridging program would no longer be brought to safety in Germany, as Germany no longer had "any political interest in admitting them".
- Press release from Terre des Hommes December 11, 2025: Keeping promises: Terre des Hommes warns of serious human rights risks for Afghan families with German acceptance pledges – Terre des Hommes