Appeal lets Kurdish family stay in Styria for now

A five-member Kurdish family facing deportation does not have to return to Turkey for now after its lawyer successfully appealed a decision by the Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum, ORF reported.

Lawyer Julia Kolda called the outcome a cautious positive sign. She said the family is currently safe and can present its permits, pursue employment and send the children to school.

The Federal Administrative Court is reviewing the case again. Kolda hopes it will hold an oral hearing, but said there is no estimate yet for when that might happen.

The case drew attention in August in Semriach, a municipality in Graz-Umgebung. Kolda said the mother and eldest son had faced severe psychological strain during the escalation that summer. She also hopes the court will recognise the family’s integration efforts and the support it has received from the community. Whether the family will ultimately be allowed to stay remains unresolved.