Switzerland will allow the deportation of some Afghan men whose asylum applications have been rejected, the government announced on Thursday, marking a shift in its migration policy.
The State Secretariat for Migration, citing improved security conditions in Afghanistan, said that single men who do not belong to vulnerable groups may be repatriated under certain circumstances, Swiss media reported.
The decision is based on recent assessments that suggest security and socio-economic conditions in Afghanistan have improved since the Taliban seized power in 2021, according to SwissInfo.ch. However, the migration office maintained that, in general, deportations to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan remain “unreasonable.”
Under the new policy, repatriation will be considered for men who are healthy, of legal age and without family in Switzerland, provided they have a stable support network in Afghanistan to aid their social and professional reintegration.
Women, families, minors and individuals with health conditions will not be subject to deportation, the authorities said. Those who are denied asylum and do not qualify for deportation will continue to be granted temporary protection in Switzerland.
The shift comes as European nations grapple with asylum policies amid ongoing debates over how to handle migration from conflict zones.
