The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bamf) had refused to allow asylum procedures for both women. According to the Dublin procedure, they were supposed to go back to Italy, since it was there that they had entered the European Union and registered for the first time.
But there were human traffickers in Italy, said Sister Juliana. “We only grant church asylum if it is necessary in cases of hardship.” The cases have been carefully weighed.
The monastery reported the arrival of the women to the authorities in accordance with regulations. In such cases, the Bamf checks again whether there is a hardship case. If this is not the case, the refugees have to leave the sanctuary within three days. The immigration authorities usually have six months to transfer the person concerned to the responsible EU country. After the deadline, the migrants have the right to an asylum procedure in Germany.
Sister Juliana is not the only religious who has to answer for church asylum: Last year, according to the State Ministry of Justice, 27 proceedings were initiated in Bavaria alone because of the granting of church asylum.
When the verdict was read out on Wednesday, a monk from the Lower Franconian Benedictine monastery Münsterschwarzach was also sitting in the hall. He coordinates the refugee work of the abbey in Schwarzach am Main (Kitzingen district) and had to undergo similar criminal proceedings in April. The judge ruled: acquittal (Az: 1 Cs 882 Js 16548/20). However, the public prosecutor appealed against the decision.
The verdict against Sister Juliana is also not yet final.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210602-99-837073 / 4
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