Germany’s Disputed Dual Citizenship Law ”Everyone Must Be Able to Participate”

The German government’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Markus Löning (FDP), is critical of citizenship laws that force young Turks to choose between German and Turkish nationalities. His view breaks with government policy to date. Daniel Brössler spoke to him It was a compromise that now forces thousands of young descendants of immigrants in Germany to…

Share Button
Read More

German Federal Parliament approves ritual circumcision

Dec 12   After controversial debates about religious motivated circumcision, the German Federal Parliament approves circumcision. The circumcision must be executed by trained persons and must fulfill health and medical regulations.   A prior draft attempted to legalize the circumcision of boys with the minimum age of 14. However, the majority of the parliament did…

Share Button
Read More

Muslim associations and Green Party in Lower Saxony criticize Minister of Interior

November 26   Muslim associations in Lower Saxony have criticized Minster of Interior Uwe  Schünemann (CDU) for defining Muslims as a marginal group. The associations did not accept to dialogue with the Ministry of Interior in July, after Minister Schünemann had refused to withdraw his “checklist” for the recognition of Islamists. Emine Oguz, a lawyer…

Share Button
Read More

Federal president Joachim Gauck refuses to meet bereaved family members

November 26   Federal President Joachim Gauck has refused to meet bereaved family members of the victims murdered by the right-wing terrorist group NSU (National Socialist Underground). The Turkish community had welcomed a meeting but the Office of the Federal President refused it.   Kenan Kolat, representative of the Turkish community criticized the reaction of…

Share Button
Read More

Extremism check-list in Lower Saxony

June 17 A new initiative of the Ministry of Interior of Lower Saxony raised concern among German Muslim associations. The Bremen and Lower Saxony branches of the Muslim associations Ditib and the Shura of Lower Saxony cancelled a scheduled meeting for Monday with the local Ministry of Interior Uwe Schünemann (CDU). The reason for such…

Share Button
Read More