Judges in Berlin have received threats after issuing rulings in favor of asylum seekers. Federal Minister of Justice Stefanie Hubig condemned the threats and criticized the Federal Minister of the Interior’s policy of rejecting asylum seekers at the external borders, calling it “completely unacceptable.”
“We stand firmly for the independence of the judiciary and will not tolerate any attempts at intimidation,” she said.
State justice ministers also denounced the threats. In a joint statement with the federal justice minister, they stressed that “only independent courts are responsible for determining compliance with the law.” The statement added, “Protecting the judiciary—our guarantor of legal certainty in Germany—is a shared responsibility.”
The German Association of Judges has reported that two judges from the Berlin Supreme Court received threats and were personally targeted, particularly after issuing rulings in favor of Somali asylum seekers who had been turned away at the border. The court ruled that Germany is bound by the Dublin Regulation and that authorities are not permitted to reject asylum seekers at the border—even if they are entering from a safe third country.
According to the Federal Ministry of Justice, the three asylum seekers will be granted access to the Dublin procedure in line with European law. Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig, a member of the Social Democratic Party, expressed concern that Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt is likely to continue enforcing the border rejections until the European Court of Justice delivers a ruling.
“We will see whether other courts issue similar decisions, what their outcomes will be, and what consequences may follow,” Hubig stated.
In the same context, lawyers representing at-risk Afghans—who have been approved under various admission programs—have filed 25 lawsuits against the German government with the Berlin Administrative Court, seeking to compel the Foreign Ministry to issue them entry visas to Germany.
The lawyers are also preparing to file an additional lawsuit on behalf of Afghans who have been stranded in Pakistan for over a year. According to Ela Hakimi from the organization Kabul Airlift, those stuck in Islamabad are living in dire conditions while waiting to travel to Germany, with many reportedly attempting suicide out of fear of being deported back to Afghanistan. Notably, lawyer Matthias Lehner noted that a court decision is expected within three months.
On the other hand, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul acknowledged that the federal government is legally obligated to uphold its commitments to admit refugees. However, he signaled the government’s intention to scale back federal admission programs as much as possible. Wadephul also declined to specify a date for resuming the admission of Afghans, whose entry has been suspended since April 2025.
