GENEVA - UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Friday warned against the continuing trend of involuntary returns of Afghan refugees and asylum-seekers from host countries to Afghanistan, in violation of international human rights and refugee law.
"Afghan women, children and men continue to be pushed out of countries where they had sought safety, forcing them to return to Afghanistan against their will and exposing them to grave risk," said Türk.
Since the beginning of the year, almost 270,000 Afghans have been deported to Afghanistan, mainly from Iran and Pakistan, according to UNHCR. Fewer numbers have also been reported from Türkiye and Tajikistan. These are in addition to the more than 1.2 million Afghans deported from Iran and 150,000 from Pakistan last year.
Last year's report by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), entitled No Safe Haven, found that a number of Afghans involuntarily returned to Afghanistan experienced a range of serious human rights violations, including arbitrary arrest, detention, torture and ill-treatment at the hands of the de facto authorities.
Women and girls, individuals affiliated with the former government and its security forces, media workers, civil society, and members of the LGBTIQ+ community, are among those who remain at grave risk of reprisals and human rights violations and abuses.
"Returning individuals at serious risk of human rights violations involuntarily to Afghanistan runs contrary to the core international law principle of non-refoulement. I urge States to abide by their international legal obligations and protect Afghans by not taking any action that exposes them to irreparable harm upon return," Türk said.
As several EU Member States call for a more coordinated approach to returns of Afghan nationals, the UN Human Rights Chief also expressed alarm at mounting reports that despite the very severe human rights situation in Afghanistan, some countries in Europe are now resuming or considering deportations.
Proposed new EU rules on returns, which are currently under consideration, are also concerning. They could weaken human rights safeguards and expose people to harm.
"I strongly caution against all involuntary returns to Afghanistan in the absence of individualized risk assessments, which are required by and must be carried out in accordance with international human rights and refugee law," the High Commissioner said.
Apart from the very serious human rights situation, the country faces a precarious humanitarian situation and cross-border insecurity, particularly since October 2025. The last quarter saw the highest rates of civilian casualties documented since the Taliban takeover as a result of the escalation of hostilities between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
