My freedom is not for sale!

Miloud L. Cherif calls for the Abolition of Movement Restriction for Refugees in Germany

The Movement Restriction for Refugees in Germany (Residenzpflicht) is a means or opression by the German state against any effective attempt of refugees to make a stand for their rights and to get organised. The case of Miloud Cherif is the best example on how this law, most of the Germans still do not even know that it is existing, prevents refugees from meeting each other and from geting in touch with human rights organisations.
But Miloud at the same time shows to all the refugees on how to confront the oppression - by civil desobediance:


Miloud Cherif Speaks on Residenzpflicht during Felix Otto rememberance in Jena

Declaration of Miloud L. Cherif against „Residenzpflicht“ - My freedom is not for sale

I wonder why a refugee should pay any amount of money if he left the place he lives in Germany, except the transport expanses.

On the 20.11.2010 I left to attend the nationwide caravan meeting in Berlin, and I've been stopped in Erfurt Hbf because I had no permission to leave my landkreis Schmalkalden-Meiningen in Thueringen and the police obliged me to go back to Zella-Mehlis (My heim – Refugee Isolation Camp).

Months later, and on the same day (24.03.2011) we made the demonstration in Meiningen for the closure of Zella Mehlis lager (The heim I live in), on the same, I received the letter telling me that I have to pay 58,50€ for ''breaking the law'' by being in Erfurt Hbf without permission.

I received many more letters since then, the last letters telling me to pay or to go to the jail in case I refused to pay the fine.

I refused to pay the fine, and I still refuse to pay, and I'll never ever pay the fine, because my freedom is not for sale.

I have been calling and I still call for the abolition of the residentzpflicht for refugees in Germany.

Refugees MUST have the right to move freely in the German territory without any permission or paying for it.

Residenzpflicht (Residential Obligation) was and will be a discriminative and a colonial law, aiming in the first place to ISOLATE the refugee in the same place He/She has been sent to, after submitting HIS/HER asylum file in Germany.

Residenzpflicht is the second tool in German authorities' Arsenal to isolate the refugee after the first which is the location of His/Her lager which in most cases is out of the city, somewhere in the middle on nowhere.

And for that, I call for ALL my brothers and sisters, refugees and non-refugees, to stand beside me, and support me in OUR battle of the justice, it's just another battle in the long war between the good and the evil.

Refugees need solidarity - Refugees want a fair life.

Miloud L. Cherif,
Coordinator of Zella-Mehlis Refugee Community,
Activist and Member of The VOICE Refugee Forum in Germany

Video interview with Miloud L. Cherif on how he fights to Break the Isolation of Refugees in Zella-Mehlis

Miloud L. Cherif fights to Break the Isolation of Refugees in Germany from Zella-Mehlis from The VOICE Refugee Network.