Germany

The number of migrants and asylum seekers arriving in Germany continues to fall. The authorities are processing a backlog of claims from asylum seekers who arrived between 2015 and 2017. Attacks on asylum-seeker accommodation and refugees and asylum-seekers continued, but at a lower rate than previous years. Concerns remain about the impact on privacy rights and free expression of a 2018 law requiring social media companies to take down poorly defined “illegal content” or face large fines.  Hate crimes and anti-Semitism are a growing concern.