Austria has deported a 33-year-old Afghan asylum seeker with a long criminal record ahead of Easter. The man was flown from Vienna via Istanbul to Kabul, with authorities monitoring the entire process from start to finish, according to Heute.
According to the Interior Ministry, he had repeatedly broken the law and was convicted four times, serving a total of four and a half years in prison. His record includes serious assaults and repeated attempts to resist law enforcement. Police files list seven additional criminal investigations against him.
Officials had verified his Afghan citizenship back in September 2025 when a delegation from Kabul identified him in Vienna, clearing the way for his removal from the country.
The case highlights Austria’s continuing push to deport offenders and people staying illegally. In 2025, more than 14,000 individuals were forced to leave — an average of forty per day, including around ten convicted criminals.
This year, that trend has continued. In just January and February 2026, 2,270 people were deported. During the same period, only 768 first-time asylum applications were filed. In other words, more people are leaving Austria than arriving.
Meanwhile, the number of asylum seekers receiving state support has dropped sharply. Nationwide, about 8,200 people are currently in the system, the lowest figure in over two decades.
“We’re recording more deportations than new asylum applications,” Interior Minister Gerhard Karner told Heute. “This development must be secured for the future.”
