body-container-line-1

Asylum Procedure In German: Minister Wants Applicants Who Lie In Identity Information Be Punished

Germany The German Federal Interior Minister, Host Seehofer
FEB 2, 2019 LISTEN
The German Federal Interior Minister, Host Seehofer

The German Federal Interior Minister, Horst Seehofer, wants to act by law against lies in the asylum procedure.

Let alone to Horst Seehofer, refugees who give false information should be prosecuted in the future, till now they are only threatened with sanctions. The German Federal Interior Minister wants to punish asylum seekers if they make false statements about their identity. However, how high the penalty should be and whether the coalition parties agree on a bill is still open.

A spokesman for the Interior Ministry said on Friday in Berlin that asylum seekers are so far the only foreigners who would not be prosecuted if they deceive the authorities about their true identity. You could currently only be sanctioned by administrative law. This is "a condition we do not want to accept".

To close the "criminality gap", discussions are currently taking place at the technical level, the spokesperson explained. A concrete draft is not yet available. Foreigners who are not asylum-seekers face up to a year's imprisonment or a fine if they provide false information.

The Ministry of Justice reacts cautiously
The Justice Ministry, led by Katarina Barley, expressed concerns about Seehofer's advance. A spokesman said that as soon as a bill was passed, it would be considered. Despite the fact that such a criminal offense is not part of the coalition agreement, it must be taken into account that false personal data in the asylum procedure could now be punished as an administrative offense with a fine. Also, applicants with false identities would regularly be rejected as "manifestly unfounded".

The spokesman pointed out that in such cases the asylum decision could also be taken by accelerated procedure, which could lead to a faster repatriation. If the conclusion of criminal proceedings must be awaited, this could lead to an extension of the stay in Germany.

Francis Tawiah (Duisburg - Germany)

body-container-line