The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, alongside a panel of UN independent experts, has issued an urgent appeal to the European Union and international governments to immediately halt the deportation of Afghan asylum seekers.
Stressing international legal obligations, Bennett reminded European states that returning individuals to a country where they face severe persecution, arbitrary detention, or systemic oppression directly violates the fundamental principle of non-refoulement.
Condemning “Technical” Engagements in Brussels
Bennett expressed deep regret over recent engagements between European officials and de facto Taliban representatives in Brussels. Although European institutions have characterized these meetings as purely technical discussions aimed at managing migration and returns, Bennett warned that such interactions risk validating the de facto administration:
- Risk of Implicit Normalization: Human rights experts emphasize that hosting Taliban officials or accepting consular staff on European soil undermines international pressure and signals a willingness to compromise on human rights standards for domestic migration objectives.
- Compounding Gender Persecution: Bennett highlighted that engaging with the regime without clear human rights benchmarks effectively whitewashes widespread abuses—most notably the systematic erasure of women and girls from public life, which UN experts warn may amount to gender persecution and crimes against humanity.
- Awaiting Official Responses: The Special Rapporteur noted that formal communications have been dispatched to the European Union and key member states regarding these diplomatic breaches, with official responses still pending.
Strict Red Lines on International Recognition
Bennett reaffirmed that no step toward normalization or diplomatic legitimization of the de facto authority should occur without verifiable, structural progress on human rights. Key requirements include lifting bans on female education beyond the sixth grade, restoring freedom of movement, ending arbitrary detentions of civil society actors, and protecting vulnerable ethnic and religious minorities.
The Special Rapporteur urged host nations to fulfill their binding treaty commitments, expand legal pathways for displaced Afghans, and prioritize human rights over transactional migration management.