Kabul [Afghanistan], July 25 : The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), in its latest report, has flagged cases of the involuntary return of Afghan nationals from neighbouring countries, citing serious human rights violations, Tolo News reported.
According to Tolo News, the report states that a significant number of Afghan citizens have been forcibly returned from Pakistan and Iran, especially since 2023, raising major concerns over the treatment of returnees, particularly women and girls.
Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said, "Nobody should be sent back to a country where they face risk of persecution on account of their identity or personal history. In Afghanistan, this is even more pronounced for women and girls, who are subjected to a range of measures that amount to persecution on the basis of their gender alone."
"No one should be returned to a country where they may face persecution due to their identity or personal background. This situation is particularly concerning for Afghan women and girls who are subjected to broad restrictions and pressures solely because of their gender," Tolo News quoted him as saying.
In response to Turk's remarks, Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, rejected the UN's claims. "All returning migrants benefit from the general amnesty decree. No one faces political hostility, conflict, or retaliatory behavior from the authorities, and if such cases arise, the government will investigate and prevent them, and those responsible will be punished. However, minor and personal incidents have occurred in some areas, which are not political, and UNAMA should not exploit these to spread propaganda and increase concerns," Fitrat said, as per Tolo News.
Some human rights and migration experts have pointed out that both Iran and Pakistan, being members of various international human rights treaties, are obligated to adhere to refugee protection principles. They argue that the deportation of Afghan migrants amid ongoing economic and humanitarian crises in Afghanistan represents a breach of international norms.
Mohammad Hashim Alokozai, a political analyst, told Tolo News, "It is Iran, Pakistan, and also the international community that are violating human rights. Iran and Pakistan must coordinate such deportations to ensure the migrants' rights are not violated."
Tolo News further reported that official sources have confirmed the forced return of over two million Afghan migrants since October 2023, a figure that has alarmed global human rights organisations and advocacy groups.