Afghanistan Times
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KABUL — The United Nations has issued a grave warning over what it calls a “multi-layered human rights crisis” unfolding in Afghanistan, as nearly two million Afghans have been sent back to the country this year—many of them forcibly.
In a strongly worded statement Friday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk called for an immediate halt to the deportation of Afghan refugees and asylum-seekers, particularly those facing threats of persecution, detention, or torture upon return.
“The surge in the number of Afghans forced or compelled to return is creating a human rights emergency that demands urgent international attention,” the UN rights office said.
According to UN figures, more than 1.9 million Afghans have returned from neighboring countries in just over seven months—over 1.5 million from Iran alone—with an estimated 60% of them deported. The mass returns are straining Afghanistan’s fragile humanitarian system and pushing vulnerable individuals into further danger.
Türk reminded countries of their legal obligations under the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits sending people back to countries where they face serious threats to life or freedom. “Sending people back to a country where they risk torture or cruel, inhuman treatment is a clear violation of international law,” he said.
The warning comes amid mounting reports of deteriorating conditions in Afghanistan, where returnees are often left without shelter, protection, or access to basic services in a country already crippled by conflict, economic collapse, and systemic rights abuses.
The UN is urging regional governments to ensure all returns are voluntary, safe, and dignified, and is calling on the broader international community to step up humanitarian support and protection for Afghan refugees at risk.
