A German court has uncovered what it describes as a coordinated scheme in which Turkish asylum seekers obtain fabricated criminal cases to strengthen claims of political persecution and avoid deportation.

In a recent ruling, the Gelsenkirchen Administrative Court detailed how official-looking legal documents are allegedly being used to create the appearance of state prosecution. Judges concluded that such cases, when artificially constructed, do not meet the threshold for asylum.

As reported by German outlet Apollo News, the case centered on a Turkish applicant who claimed he had been targeted for political reasons, citing his Kurdish background, opposition ties, and alleged abuse by authorities. But German officials found major inconsistencies in his account.

In an attempt to support his claim, the man later submitted extracts from Turkey’s national judicial database showing charges for insulting the president and spreading terrorist propaganda. However, the posts cited in the case were dated after he had already arrived in Germany, raising immediate doubts.

Expert analysis presented to the court pointed to a wider pattern. According to the findings, a structured underground market has emerged in which individuals can obtain customized indictments and legal files designed to appear authentic within Turkey’s judicial system.

These documents often carry official case numbers and registration, but lack any real investigative process or follow-up prosecution. Courts concluded that such “purchased persecution” does not constitute a genuine risk upon return.

The ruling also aligns with mounting evidence from outside Germany that the practice has been developing for years.

On social media platforms, particularly TikTok, accounts have openly advertised services offering asylum seekers ready-made legal files. These include arrest warrants, police statements, and medical reports, all presented as officially registered in Turkey’s judicial system.

One such advertisement from 2024 explicitly offered “asylum files for all countries,” listing documents such as arrest warrants, police interrogation records, and political party membership papers, while inviting users to make contact privately.

The existence of such offers suggests that the production of tailored legal cases is not an isolated phenomenon in Germany, but part of a broader and increasingly visible marketplace.

Earlier reporting from Switzerland also pointed to the same pattern. In 2023, a recognized refugee from Turkey, identified as Ayaz, told Swiss media that fellow nationals had asked him to connect them with Turkish judicial officials to obtain forged arrest warrants.

According to the report by 20min, these individuals intended to use the documents to present themselves as political refugees, despite having primarily economic motivations. Although Ayaz refused, he later learned that others had succeeded through different channels and were ultimately granted asylum in Switzerland.

The German court’s findings now add judicial weight to those earlier warnings.

Unsurprisingly, the applicant’s claim in the German case was rejected.