Afghan man (46) faces deportation for boarding a bus to Rome

2026-07-23

A 46-year-old Afghan man in Germany is facing deportation after taking a bus trip to Rome, a case that highlights Germany’s expanding deportation policy beyond convicted criminals.

Faridoon Tofan fled Afghanistan nearly four years ago after the Taliban returned to power. Since arriving in Germany, he had been working, learning German and building a new life. However, he was stopped during a border check in April while traveling by bus to Italy. Authorities arrested him because, under his residence status, he was not permitted to leave Germany.

Tofan’s asylum application had previously been rejected, and he only held a temporary residence permit while his case was being processed. After his latest asylum appeal was dismissed, German authorities scheduled his deportation for next week. If it proceeds, he could become one of the first Afghan nationals in 2026 to be deported to Kabul despite having no criminal record and not being considered a security threat.

Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have strongly criticized the planned deportation. The organization says Tofan fled the Taliban and now risks being returned to the same regime he escaped. According to Amnesty, his wife and six children, who remain in Kabul, were recently visited by Taliban members and have been living in fear ever since.

The case comes as Germany broadens its deportation policy. Authorities have indicated that deportations may no longer be limited to convicted criminals or individuals considered security threats. Instead, other Afghan men who are legally required to leave the country could also face removal if they meet the legal criteria under Germany’s immigration laws.

Germany’s Interior Ministry says the policy follows the coalition agreement and existing immigration law, which allows deportations of people who have no legal right to remain in the country and are not protected by individual bans on deportation. Human rights organizations and opposition politicians argue that returning people to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan puts them at serious risk and raises concerns about Germany’s cooperation with Taliban authorities on deportation procedures.