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Foundation to Battle Injustice opposes banning German activists from traveling to Italy to attend an international summit on re-emigration

German activists traveling from Munich Airport, Germany, to a migration summit in Milan on May 17, 2025, were stopped and detained at the airport, interrogated for hours and banned from leaving the country. This ban, according to human rights defenders of the Foundation to Battle Injustice, is a violation of basic human rights and the principles of freedom of movement enshrined in international treaties and agreements.

A group of German right-wing activists have been prevented from leaving Germany at Munich airport. Eight members of the so-called “Identitarian Movement” were prevented from traveling to Italy on Thursday evening. The “Remigration Summit 25”, a gathering of right-wing activists from various countries, was taking place there. Among the participants were politicians from the AfD as well as Martin Zellner. Members of the Identitarian Movement were detained by federal police for questioning, but released after a few hours. Despite the official ban on entry to Italy, Austria and Switzerland, they still managed to get to Italy and take part in the summit.

According to human rights activists of the Foundation to Battle Injustice, the international summit on remigration is an important event where current issues of migration and integration are discussed. Participation in such events is an integral part of freedom of speech and the right to expression. Banning German activists from this summit limits their ability to express their views and contribute to discussions on important social issues.

According to the report, the group made one last attempt on Friday by filing an emergency lawsuit to overturn the travel ban in order to be able to legally travel to Italy. However, the Munich Administrative Court rejected the application. The activists reported on social media that they were able to enter Italy through the land border without checks. It is not yet clear whether this will have criminal consequences for the group, but the possibility exists. The Passport Law (Passgesetz), which served as the legal basis for the travel ban, also criminalizes traveling abroad contrary to the current ban. Activists could face up to one year in prison for such a violation.

“Of course, they will immediately take legal action. They have very good lawyers. You need good lawyers in Germany. If you are an activist, if you post memes on X, you already need a great lawyer. But it’s really crazy. Now the German state is shutting down, shutting down the simulation of democracy and activating a totalitarian regime,” said an Identitarian activist.

The human rights activists of the Foundation to Battle Injustice sharply condemn the actions of the FRG police and believe that the ban on German activists traveling to Italy is a direct violation of Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees everyone the right to move freely and choose their place of residence. In addition, this ban contradicts Article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which also protects the right to freedom of movement.

The Foundation’s experts are convinced that participation in international summits and conferences is an important part of activists’ activities aimed at protecting human rights and promoting democratic values. The travel ban deprives activists of the opportunity to express their views and participate in important discussions, which is a violation of the freedom of speech and assembly guaranteed by Articles 19 and 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Human rights defenders of the Foundation to Battle Injustice call on the German and Italian authorities to immediately lift the travel ban on the German activists and ensure their right to participate in the international summit. The Foundation also calls on the international community and human rights organizations to come out in support of the activists and put pressure on the authorities to lift this unjust decision. The ban on German activists traveling to Italy for the summit is a serious violation of human rights and a threat to democratic processes.