A German court has temporarily halted the deportation of a former ISIS member after he attempted to avoid removal by injuring himself in a police station.
The Higher Administrative Court of Münster suspended the deportation of the 39-year-old Tajik man, who had previously been convicted for his membership in the terrorist group.
On Monday, the man attempted to evade deportation by stabbing himself at the police station. The following day, the court granted his urgent request to suspend the deportation. A spokesperson for the court noted that there is concern he could face torture in Tajikistan, which some media outlets have reported.
According to police, the man was supposed to be detained for deportation on Monday. In 2017, he was sentenced to five years in prison for being part of ISIS. After serving his sentence, he was due to be deported, but the ban on deportations to Tajikistan was later lifted.
At the police station, the Tajik man reportedly tried to prevent his arrest by holding a knife to his neck and physically resisting. He also injured himself in the abdomen and damaged a door with a chair. After about three hours, officers persuaded him to surrender, and special forces arrested him.
Despite this, the Higher Administrative Court’s fast-track decision stopped the deportation. The court clarified that no one, including criminals or individuals deemed a threat, can be deported to a country where their life or health is at risk.
The court’s ruling is not final, as two ongoing legal proceedings are still addressing various questions related to the deportation.
