# Austria to Deport Foreign Inmates Under New Law

October 31, 2026 at 02:52 PM

> The 'Haft in der Heimat' regulation takes effect Sunday, allowing for the deportation of foreign offenders to ease prison overcrowding.

A new regulation titled 'Haft in der Heimat' takes effect this Sunday, November 1. The policy allows for the deportation of foreign offenders without their consent under specific conditions, targeting third-country nationals with active entry or residence bans.

**Friedrich Forsthuber**, President of the **Vienna Regional Criminal Court**, estimates 100 to 200 prisoners could be affected. While Serbians, **Syrians**, and Afghans are major inmate groups, those convicted of serious bodily harm or sexual offenses are excluded.

The measure aims to address overcrowding, as **Austrian** prisons hold 9,142 people despite a capacity of 8,412. However, legal requirements and conditions in home countries currently limit the deportation of Syrian and Afghan prisoners back to their nations.

**Afghanistan**

[#Austria](<https://austriareport.com/hashtag/austria>) [#PrisonReform](<https://austriareport.com/hashtag/prisonreform>) [#Deportation](<https://austriareport.com/hashtag/deportation>) #HaftInDerHeimat [#Vienna](<https://austriareport.com/hashtag/vienna>)

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