41 Organizations Urge EU to Halt Deportations of Afghan Migrants
More than 40 civil society and human rights organizations have issued an open letter calling on senior European Union officials to immediately stop the deportation of migrants to Afghanistan and to refrain from any policies that would legitimize the Taliban administration. The letter was addressed to Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and Kaja Kallas, EU Foreign Policy Chief.
The signatories expressed concern over what they described as the “increasing normalization of engagement with the Taliban” and warned that so-called “technical” contacts by some European governments with the Taliban administration could effectively strengthen the group’s position. According to them, the Taliban are accused of widespread human rights violations and acts that may constitute crimes against humanity, including gender-based persecution.
The letter also criticized increased efforts to return undocumented migrants and emphasized that any decisions on deportations must be based on individual case assessments and comply with international refugee laws and the principle of non-refoulement. The authors warned that labeling Afghan migrants as a security threat could lead to violations of the legal obligations of European countries.
Referring to reports from United Nations experts, the organizations stated that Afghanistan under Taliban rule is witnessing systematic discrimination and repression, particularly against women and girls. They added that cooperation with officials accused of extensively restricting the rights of women, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups raises serious legal and ethical concerns.
In another section of the letter, concern was expressed about the appointment of Taliban-designated individuals to represent Afghan diplomatic missions in Europe. The signatories believe that refugees, former government employees, and human rights defenders fear that their personal information could be handed over to the Taliban, endangering their own and their families’ safety.
The authors also highlighted the worsening humanitarian situation and expanding hunger in the country as key drivers of migration. Citing a ruling by the European Court of Justice, they reminded that restrictions imposed by the Taliban on women and girls could qualify as persecution under European Union laws.
The letter was signed by 41 Afghan and international organizations, including “Ravadari,” “Afghanistan Accountability Watch,” and the “Afghan Civil Society and Human Rights Network.” The signatories demand an immediate halt to deportations, the maintenance of stringent standards in asylum application assessments, and an end to information-sharing cooperation with the Taliban administration.
