On World Refugee Day, at least 80 civil society organizations, rights groups, and protest movements issued an open letter calling on the international community to urgently address the deteriorating conditions of Afghan refugees in Iran and Pakistan.
The signatories addressed their appeal to key global and regional bodies — including the United Nations Secretary-General, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Human Rights Council, and the governments of Iran and Pakistan — demanding a halt to what they described as unlawful and inhumane deportations.
In recent months, reports from international agencies and on-the-ground sources have documented a spike in forced returns, arbitrary arrests, and systemic violence against Afghan migrants, particularly women and children. These actions often occur without legal recourse or proper assessment of individual circumstances, the letter said.
“Hundreds of thousands of migrants, including vulnerable groups, are being returned to a country that fails to meet any international standard for safe or voluntary repatriation,” the organizations warned. They cited cases of suicide, severe mental health breakdowns, and sexual violence in detention centers as among the harrowing consequences of current policies.
The letter underscores that many returnees — such as former government workers, human rights defenders, and journalists — face credible threats of persecution under Taliban rule. Forcibly returning these individuals, the groups argued, violates international norms, including the principle of non-refoulement under the 1951 Refugee Convention.
Among the seven urgent requests, the coalition called for an immediate end to deportations, international monitoring of border camps and detention facilities, the creation of safe resettlement pathways, and the inclusion of migrant voices in global policy-making.
“Refugees must not be used as political pawns,” the letter stated, urging world leaders to act before the situation worsens further.
“Now is the time for action, accountability, and genuine support,” the organizations concluded.
