English Version: Uphold Germany’s admission commitment: Stop the deportation of Samana Mohammadi to Afghanistan.
To: Interior Minister Dobrindt; Foreign Minister Wadephul; Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil
Samana Mohammadi, a 32-year-old Afghan social worker from Herat, is at risk of being deported from Pakistan to Afghanistan – despite having previously received a commitment to admission to Germany.
Samana’s life is at stake.
Samana worked as a social worker for German organisations in Afghanistan, supportingwomen in in escaping forced marriages. As a result, she was exposed to severe threats and attacks by the Taliban. After the Taliban took power in 2021, she fled to Pakistan using her savings, after German authorities had promised her admission to the Federal Republic of Germany.
However, in December 2025 after two years of waiting for entry and to begin her studies in Germany, Samana Mohammadi received notification from the German federal authorities that Germany “no longer has a political interest in admitting her.” This is shocking for Samana Mohammadi, fatal and life-threatening.
We demand the immediate admission of Samana Mohammadi to Germany and for her to be allowed to begin the course of study at ASH Berlin that was promised to her.
Why is this important?
Samana Mohammadi has an exceptional professional and personal background. Despite significant social and family resistance, she pursued an academic career as a sociologist and social worker and publicly advocated for women’s rights for many years.
In Afghanistan, Samana Mohammadi’s work included travelling to remote regions to support girls and women, helping them escape forced marriages and providing legal counselling. Even before the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in 2021, she was exposed to severe threats and attacks from the Taliban because of this work. After the t takeover, she was actively sought by the Taliban., making it impossible for her to remain in Afghanistan. She spent months in hiding and survived severe physical violence.
These circumstances are well documented and are already known to the Federal Ministry of the Interior and the Federal Foreign Office. On this basis, Samana Mohammadi was granted a commitment to admission to Germany under Section 22 Sentence 2 of the German Residence Act. The Federal Ministry of the Interior had advised her to leave for Pakistan. Samana Mohammadi used all her savings for this departure. She completed the standard security interview at the German embassy. According to the official records, there were no doubts regarding her case.
Already for the winter semester 2023/2024, Samana Mohammadi received admission to the Master‘s programme “Social Work as a Human Rights Profession” at Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences (ASH) Berlin. Samana Mohammadi still holds a confirmed place to study at ASH Berlin. The financing of her studies is also secured. In principle, she would be eligible for BAföG in Germany. The university leadership, members of the Academic Senate, as well as numerous students from the Master’s programme and both faculties are advocating for Samana Mohammadi’s entry into Germany and her ability to begin her studies and are committed to supporting her during her studies and her integration into life in Berlin.
Deporting Samana Mohammadi from Pakistan to Afghanistan would place her in extreme danger.
Such a deportation would send an alarming signal: that the Taliban’s violent, anti-human-rights and anti-women policies are being tolerated, and that the severe violence already suffered by a human rights activist is being disregarded.
The sudden withdrawal of admission commitments by Germany towards local staff and individuals with admission approvals from Afghanistan damages the credibility of the German state. Commitments were already made, and people — including Samana Mohammadi – relied on the fact that their work towards building a humane society in Afghanistan would be recognised and valued by the German state and that they would be given a future. It damages Germany’s reputation as a democratic society that claims to stand for the protection and enforcement of human rights if these people are now left exposed to danger to their life and physical safety.
As an experienced social worker and a person who has actively worked for the protection and enforcement of human rights, Samana Mohammadi is exceptionally well qualified for the Master’s programme “Social Work as a Human Rights Profession” at ASH Berlin. She would not only further qualify herself academically but would also contribute her experience and knowledge to the high-quality education of her fellow students from all over the world. In the future, as a highly qualified Master’s graduate, she could help address the shortage of skilled professionals in the field of social work in Germany — whether through practical counselling work, leadership positions, teaching or research.
Prof. Dr. Bettina Völter
President of Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences Berlin