Former Afghan Health Minister’s Asylum Request Rejected in the UK
Ferozuddin Feroz, former Afghan Minister of Public Health who fled Afghanistan following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, has had his asylum request in the United Kingdom denied. According to the London-based Daily Mail, he is currently residing in a migrant hotel in Bournemouth.
Feroz, who led Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health from 2015 to 2020, was recognized as the “best minister” at the 2019 Global Government Summit and received international acclaim. In an interview with the Daily Mail, he expressed that he had always believed the UK stood for values such as democracy, human rights, and cultural diversity.
He now lives in uncertain conditions, temporarily residing in a migrant accommodation. Nevertheless, Feroz remains active through social engagement and volunteer work with organizations providing services for the homeless.
The rejection of asylum for a prominent figure of Afghanistan’s former government, who made significant achievements in health, raises questions about Western countries’ approaches toward officials of the previous Afghan administration—especially in light of the Taliban’s threats to their professional and personal safety within the country.
