LONDON — The British government has deported eight Afghan nationals convicted of criminal offenses to Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, according to a report published by Hyphen, a UK-based media outlet.
Citing information obtained through a Freedom of Information request, the report said that at least one individual was deported while serving a sentence of less than six months — a category that includes offenses such as theft, common assault, and minor drug-related crimes.
The deportations occurred despite the UK government’s official position advising against all travel to Afghanistan since the Taliban’s takeover, and the absence of formal diplomatic relations with the current authorities in Kabul.
According to Hyphen, one deportation took place in August 2021 — on a commercial flight — just days before the UK’s chaotic evacuation of citizens and Afghan allies. Others among the eight deported individuals were convicted of more serious crimes, including rape and violent offenses. The Home Office reportedly declined to specify the nature of most of the offenses, citing privacy concerns.
All eight were categorized as “compliant returns,” meaning they cooperated with deportation proceedings. The Home Office confirmed they were removed via commercial airlines and were eligible for resettlement grants of up to £1,500.
Enforced returns to Afghanistan were officially suspended in 2021, but the Home Office has continued to facilitate voluntary deportations. Critics say such removals expose deportees to danger, particularly in the absence of assurances from the Taliban government.
Zoe Gardner, a former policy manager at the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, described the deportations as “obviously unsafe.” She added, “Our criminal justice system should treat all people equally regardless of ethnicity or where they happen to have been born.”
Advocates also warned that some deportees may have spent most of their lives in the UK and consider themselves culturally British, but lack the documentation to prove citizenship. A report by the Prison Reform Trust noted that foreign national offenders may include individuals born in the UK to immigrant parents, asylum seekers, or victims of trafficking.
Under current law, non-citizens convicted of any crime in the UK and given a custodial sentence — regardless of length — are eligible for deportation. The data reviewed by Hyphen included one person serving an indeterminate sentence, one sentenced to between 13 and 24 months, and another jailed for over two years. The Home Office did not disclose full details of the sentencing categories, citing privacy protections where figures fell below five.
When asked whether the UK had coordinated with Taliban authorities or received assurances regarding the safety of deportees, the Home Office declined to comment. A spokesperson said only: “Despite any barriers we face, we are resolute in our commitment to keep our communities safe and deport those who abuse our hospitality.”
The report comes as the Home Office, now overseen by Labour Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, has committed to publishing the nationalities of all 19,000 foreign national offenders currently in the UK by the end of the year.
