ISLAMABAD (AP) – A recent U.N. report has revealed alarming instances of torture and threats faced by Afghan individuals forcibly returned from Iran and Pakistan. The report highlights that these actions are often driven by the victims' identities or personal histories, raising concerns about human rights violations under the Taliban regime.
Pakistan and Iran have expelled millions of Afghans, citing illegal residency as the primary reason. In response, Afghan authorities have urged these nationals to return by pledging amnesty to anyone who left the country after the Taliban took power in August 2021. However, reports from rights groups and the U.N. have consistently indicated that many returning Afghans are at significant risk of persecution based on their gender, connections to the previous Western-supported government, or their professional backgrounds.
The U.N. mission in Afghanistan has documented several serious human rights violations suffered by these returnees. Many individuals have gone into hiding or relocated out of fear of retaliation from the Taliban. The report outlines various forms of abuse, including torture, ill-treatment, arbitrary arrests, and threats to personal safety. A former government official disclosed to the U.N. that upon returning to Afghanistan in 2023, he faced detention and was tortured using sticks and cables, subjected to waterboarding, and experienced mock executions.
Moreover, a non-binary individual reported severe beatings, including assaults with the back of a firearm. Volker Türk, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, emphasized that no individual should be returned to a country where they face the risk of persecution related to their identity or past. This concern is particularly acute for Afghan women and girls, who are targeted for a range of measures that constitute gender-based persecution.
Since the Taliban's return to power, they have imposed stringent restrictions on Afghan women and girls, including banning access to education beyond sixth grade, prohibiting most employment opportunities, and limiting access to public spaces. In response to the U.N. report, Taliban authorities have denied allegations of mistreatment against Afghan returnees, asserting that no arrests, violence, intimidation, or retaliation occur based on identity or personal history. They claimed that returning Afghans are offered support regarding documentation, transportation, and resettlement, characterized by a "warm welcome" from the Interior Ministry.
The Taliban have also called on the U.N. mission to prevent forced deportations, urging the organization to assist refugees in obtaining essential services such as food, medical care, shelter, and education. Afghans who have fled their country over the years now face increasing pressure from expulsion campaigns, particularly in Iran and Pakistan, or confront uncertain futures due to diminished support for refugees.
On Monday, thousands of Afghans in the U.S. faced the loss of protection from deportation after a federal appeals court upheld a decision made during the Trump administration to terminate their Temporary Protected Status. Homeland Security officials contended that conditions in Afghanistan have improved, justifying the end of legal protections. However, advocates assisting Afghans with this status argue that the situation remains dire, and security risks are still prevalent in their home country.
The suspension of a refugee program initiated by the Trump administration has further complicated matters for Afghans stranded abroad, particularly in Pakistan, where a travel ban has reduced their prospects of resettlement in the U.S.
