Kabul, June 21: Amnesty International has called on the international community to prevent the illegal deportation of Afghan refugees. The organization emphasized the need to safeguard their rights under international human rights law.
The human rights group highlighted that Afghan refugees face arbitrary detention and family separation in host countries. Upon returning to Afghanistan, they encounter severe human rights violations.
In a statement on social media platform X, Amnesty noted, “Millions of Afghan refugees are being deported worldwide, and this number is increasing daily. In host countries, they face arbitrary arrests and family separations; upon return, they confront human rights abuses amid one of the world’s most serious humanitarian crises.”
The organization further stated, “The illegal deportation of Afghan individuals must cease, and those in need of international protection should be safeguarded according to international human rights law.”
This statement comes as international agencies report a rise in the deportation of Afghan refugees from neighboring countries. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) have repeatedly stressed that the return of Afghan refugees should be safe and dignified, calling for increased international support for returnees.
In early May, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk warned against the forced return of Afghan refugees and asylum seekers from host countries to Afghanistan, labeling it a violation of international human rights and refugee law.
He stated, “Afghan women, children, and men are being expelled from countries where they sought safety, forcing them to return to Afghanistan against their will, putting them at serious risk.”
According to the UNHCR, approximately 270,000 Afghan individuals have been sent back to Afghanistan this year alone, primarily from Iran and Pakistan, with fewer from Turkey and Tajikistan. This is in addition to over 1.2 million Afghan refugees sent back from Iran and more than 150,000 from Pakistan last year.
The UN human rights agency emphasized that there remains a significant risk of reprisals and human rights violations against women and girls, individuals associated with the previous Afghan government and its security forces, media workers, civil society members, and the LGBTQ+ community.
Volker Turk remarked, “Forcing individuals at serious risk of human rights violations back to Afghanistan contravenes the core international legal principle of non-refoulement. I urge countries to fulfill their international legal obligations and protect Afghan people, ensuring they are not subjected to irreparable harm upon return.”
A 2025 report by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), titled “No Safe Haven,” indicated that forcibly deported Afghan refugees face various severe human rights violations by Taliban authorities, including arbitrary detention, torture, and mistreatment.
While several EU member states are attempting to collaborate more closely on the return of Afghan citizens, the UN human rights chief has expressed concern over rising reports that some European countries are resuming or considering deportations despite the dire human rights situation in Afghanistan.
Turk noted that the proposed new EU rules regarding their return have raised concerns, as they may weaken human rights safeguards and cause harm to individuals.
He stated, “I completely warn against all involuntary returns to Afghanistan without personalized risk assessments, which are necessary and should be conducted according to international human rights and refugee law.”
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