Deported Afghans at risk of torture and persecution, UN report finds

ISLAMABAD — A U.N. report released on Thursday highlights cases of serious human rights violations against Afghans who were forcibly returned to their home country, particularly from neighbouring countries.

The reported abuse includes torture, ill-treatment, arbitrary detention, and threats to personal security, allegedly carried out by the Taliban against returnees with specific backgrounds.

Since 2023, huge numbers of Afghans have been forcibly returned, mainly by Pakistan and Iran.

This month, Germany deported 81 Afghans with criminal convictions to Kabul, as the government pursues a harder line on migration policy.

According to the report, those most at risk include women and girls, former government officials, security personnel, media workers, and civil society activists.

“Nobody should be sent back to a country where they face the risk of persecution on account of their identity or personal history,” said U.N. Human Rights Chief Volker Türk.

The report notes that former officials and members of the security forces have gone into hiding out of fear of reprisals, while women have been left without access to jobs or educational opportunities.

The U.N. warned that returning people to such conditions violates the principle of non-refoulement and constitutes a serious breach of international law.

The Taliban rejected allegations that it has carried out reprisals against former government personnel and reiterated their commitment to the general amnesty announced by their leader. The group also asserted its commitment to upholding women’s rights under sharia, or Islamic law based on the teachings of the Koran.

Pakistan and Iran, for their part, said they are addressing the issue of undocumented foreign nationals and called for increased international cooperation.