A prominent human rights advocate and founder of the Russian organization Memorial, Irina Scherbakova, has voiced criticism regarding a recent decision by the German government to suspend federal admission programs for individuals from countries like Afghanistan and consequently, to cease issuing visas to dissidents from Russia and Belarus.
Scherbakova described the move as “absolutely inexplicable” stating it specifically targets political émigrés. She highlighted that only 3,000 individuals had utilized the visa program thus far and that these individuals are financially self-sufficient, covering their own expenses. She believes the decision removes another avenue for individuals seeking emigration.
Marco Fieber, Managing Director of the non-governmental organization Libereco, which supports individuals seeking protection from Belarus, warned that the suspension of federal admission programs endangers lives within Belarus. He cited the case of recently released opposition figure Sergei Tikhanovsky, who lost nearly half his body weight during prolonged detention, as an example. He emphasized that such cases are not isolated incidents and that political pressure remains high in Belarus. Acceptance into a country like Germany offers a means of escaping this pressure.
Libereco has facilitated the acquisition of 17 humanitarian visas from July 2024 until now, with the most recent approvals occurring in March. Two further cases have stalled since April. While the Foreign Office is reportedly supportive, Fieber states that the Federal Ministry of the Interior is hindering progress.
A spokesperson for the Federal Ministry of the Interior confirmed that, since May 2022, 2,490 Russian citizens and 410 Belarusian citizens have been admitted under §22 of the Residence Act. However, the governing coalition-the Social Democratic Party and the Christian Democratic Union-agreed in their coalition contract to end voluntary federal admission programs. The spokesperson stated that a review is currently underway to determine how this can be implemented. Pending a decision, all relevant procedures have been suspended to safeguard the political interests of the Federal Republic of Germany, meaning neither new admissions will be declared nor visas issued-except in urgent cases. This suspension extends to individuals from Russia and Belarus, with exceptions made only in “particularly exceptional individual cases”.
