A new United Nations report has issued a stark warning over the plight of Afghans forcibly returned from countries including Pakistan and Iran, documenting widespread human rights violations under Taliban rule despite official claims of a general amnesty.
Released on July 24, the report draws on 49 interviews with returnees, revealing that many particularly women, former government officials, and journalists—have faced arbitrary detention, torture, persecution, and severe restrictions on basic freedoms upon their return. One woman likened her situation to “house detention,” underscoring the suffocating conditions faced by female returnees under the Taliban’s repressive regime.
The UN asserts that such deportations may violate international legal obligations, including the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning individuals to countries where they face threats to life or freedom. It has called on all states to immediately halt forced returns to Afghanistan, provide safe and legal pathways for those fleeing persecution, and increase support for reintegration efforts.
“Despite repeated Taliban assurances of amnesty and protection for all citizens, credible evidence continues to emerge of systematic rights violations against returnees,” the report notes. The UN has urged the international community to act swiftly and collectively to uphold the fundamental rights of Afghan returnees and to ensure their safety and dignity are protected.
