German pilots refuse to deport refugees to death

This video from Germany says about itself:

19 November 2016

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Hanover, Saturday, to protest against the German government’s plans to deport Afghan nationals under an agreement signed by the EU.

Protesters argue the move will put deportees in danger, due to the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan, and the resurgence of the Taliban. Claudia, a protester, said “in Afghanistan there is still a war going on, those who will get deported, probably they will die or really suffer.”

After police in Honduras refusing to kill pro-democracy demonstrators, now this.

By Elizabeth Schumacher in Germany, 4 December 2017:

German pilots refuse to carry out deportations

Pilots across Germany are stopping planned deportations of rejected asylum seekers. At the same time, refugees are appealing their deportation orders in record numbers – and winning.

Many pilots in Germany are refusing to participate in deportations, local media reported on Monday.

Following an information request from the Left party, the government said that 222 planned flights were stopped by pilots who wanted no part in the controversial return of refugees to Afghanistan, which has been deemed a “safe country of origin” in some cases, despite ongoing violence and repression in parts of the country.

Some 85 of the refusals between January and September 2017 came from Germany’s main airline Lufthansa and its subsidiary Eurowings. About 40 took place at Dusseldorf airport, where the controversial deportations are routinely accompanied by protesters on the tarmac. The majority of the canceled flights, around 140, took place at Frankfurt Airport, Germany’s largest and most important hub. …

As Germany stepped up deportations, the number of asylum seekers appealing their decisions has increased significantly. Nearly every second ruling made by the BAMF in the first half of the year was brought before a judge.

This is nearly double the number of appeals made during the same period in 2016 – as it stands now, the courts side with about one in every four asylum seekers who appeal their status.