Berlin, September 12, 2024, The Europe Today: Mohammad Hadi Mofatteh, the former head of the now-banned Islamic Center Hamburg (IZH), filed legal action on Wednesday in an attempt to contest a deportation order just hours before the deadline for his departure from Germany.
The IZH, which Mofatteh led from 2018 until its closure, was identified by German domestic intelligence as being under the influence of Iran. However, the appeal filed by Mofatteh does not automatically suspend the deportation order. The Hamburg Interior Ministry confirmed that Mofatteh left Germany on Tuesday evening, prior to the deadline.
Hamburg authorities issued the deportation order at the end of August, requiring the 57-year-old Shiite cleric to leave Germany within 14 days or face deportation to Iran at his own expense. In addition, Mofatteh has been banned from reentering Germany for 20 years. Any violation of this ban could result in a prison sentence of up to three years.
