Austrian authorities say they have deported an Afghan man to Kabul, marking the first such return since the Taliban took power in 2021, Austrian media reported.
The Austrian Interior Ministry said the 31-year-old man, convicted of rape and aggravated assault, was transferred from Vienna to Kabul via Istanbul after serving a four-year prison sentence. The ministry said additional cases involving Afghan nationals convicted of serious crimes are under review.
Austria is among 20 European Union member states that have urged the European Commission to explore ways to return Afghan and Syrian migrants without legal residency, either voluntarily or by force.
In July, Austria became the first EU country in recent years to deport a Syrian national, later returning two more.
The deportation follows last month’s meeting in Vienna between Austrian officials and representatives of the Taliban — a move that drew sharp criticism from human rights groups and the Green Party, part of the governing coalition.
The Vienna-based human rights group Asylum Coordination Austria said the deported man had arrived in the country alone as a teenager. His lawyers sought to block his deportation on mental health grounds, but a court denied the appeal.
“We are deeply concerned that there is no monitoring of what happens to those returned to Afghanistan or Syria,” said Lukas Gahleitner-Gertz, the group’s spokesperson. “These individuals could face torture or inhumane treatment.”
The European Union said Monday that it has begun preliminary contact with Taliban authorities to assess the feasibility of repatriating rejected Afghan asylum seekers, under pressure from several member states seeking to tighten migration policies.
Germany has also resumed deportations of Afghan nationals, with more than 100 people reportedly sent back since last year, according to official figures.
