Key Takeaways (EN):
- Berlin’s court ruling effectively closes asylum pathways for Russian military evaders.
- The precedent complicates asylum prospects for Russian evaders, particularly those from Chechnya.
- Human rights groups caution that asylum chances for evaders are minimal.
Germany’s Higher Administrative Court in Berlin-Brandenburg has effectively closed the doors for Russian citizens avoiding military service to seek asylum. This ruling, involving a 22-year-old Chechen trying to avoid deportation, was based on the argument that military conscription in Russia does not justify asylum, and conscripts, particularly those outside Chechnya, are generally not deployed to conflict zones. The court also stated that the individual could reside in any region of Russia, which removes the necessity for asylum.
The Berlin ruling has far-reaching consequences, already influencing similar cases, such as one in Saxony-Anhalt, where an administrative court also ordered the deportation of a Chechen citizen. This indicates that the decision may set a new standard for German courts dealing with such cases.
German human rights organizations, such as Berlin-based Solidarus, warn Russian evaders that the chances of obtaining asylum are now slim. Human rights advocate Alexei Kozlov from Solidarus notes that avoiding conscription in Russia can be achieved without leaving the country by avoiding enlistment offices and not residing at registered addresses.
This court ruling takes on additional significance against the backdrop of increasing deportations of Russians from Germany. In the first eight months of 2024, Germany deported 32 individuals to Russia, four times more than the previous year. Out of 5,381 asylum applications submitted by Russian men aged 18 to 45, only 57 were approved—about one percent.
