Austria resumes direct deportations of Afghan nationals

Austria’s Interior Ministry said it has deported a 26-year-old Afghan man, whom it said had committed multiple crimes in Austria, via Istanbul. The move comes as Austria has resumed the direct deportation of people to Afghanistan and Syria.

According to the Austrian Interior Ministry, the Afghan national committed crimes in Austria on three occasions and spent a total of more than two and a half years in prison in connection with serious property crimes and drug-related offences. The ministry also said he has 20 recorded entries in the criminal police database.

In a statement released on Tuesday, 10 September, the ministry said Austria, together with Germany, is among the first European countries to restart direct deportations to Afghanistan and Syria. Austrian officials also announced the deportation of more than 8,800 people in the first seven months of this year, whom the ministry said were residing illegally.

Austria is among the European countries that have engaged with the Taliban administration over the deportation of asylum seekers from Afghanistan. In recent years, this issue has drawn the attention of human rights groups and European governments because of the human rights and security situation in Afghanistan, particularly after the Taliban returned to power.