Rights of all Afghans must be defended as Taliban control Afghanistan: UN
The top United Nations human rights official expressed fear on Tuesday for the safety of thousands of Afghans who have worked on human rights issues, while the UN refugee agency called for a halt to forced deportation of Afghan asylum seekers.
“We are particularly concerned about the safety of the thousands of Afghans who have been working to promote human rights across the country, and have helped improve the lives of millions,” Rupert Colville, spokesperson for Michelle Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, told a briefing.
For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.
Shabia Mantoo, a spokesperson of the UN refugee agency UNHCR, said it had issued a ‘non-return advisory’ to states calling for a halt to forced returns of Afghan nationals including asylum seekers whose claims had been rejected.
Austria, which has insisted that it plans to keep deporting illegal immigrants back to Afghanistan even as the Taliban seized Kabul, on Monday suggested setting up “deportation centers” in nearby countries as an alternative.
Austria was one of six European Union member states that warned the European Commission last week against halting the deportation of rejected Afghan asylum seekers arriving in Europe despite the Taliban’s advances. Since then, three of the six - Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands - have reversed course.
Mantoo said that the UNHCR guidance had been issued in light of discussions in several European countries and it welcomed some suspensions of deportations as “good news.”
More than 550,000 Afghans have been uprooted within the country since January, but the number of people crossing international borders in the last days has been “very limited,” although the UNHCR has no comprehensive figures, Mantoo said.
Read more:
Body of dead Afghan found in landing gear of military jet leaving Kabul
Explainer: The Taliban have taken over Afghanistan. What’s next?
Turkey welcomes Taliban’s ‘positive message’ to intl community: FM
-
British student on vacation in Afghanistan says he’s been evacuated
A UK citizen who allegedly decided to go on vacation to Afghanistan and claimed he was stuck in Kabul on Monday has now been evacuated, UK-based news ... World News -
Taliban takeover endangers lives of Afghan nationals who worked with US during war
The Taliban’s takeover has endangered the lives of thousands of Afghans who worked with the US in Afghanistan during the 20-year war, online news ... World News -
UAE is closely monitoring situation in Afghanistan, stresses need for stability
The United Arab Emirates announced that it is closely following the development in Afghanistan, after the Taliban seized control of the country, the ... Gulf