In an open letter to senior EU officials, more than 40 Afghan and international civil society organizations have called on the European Union to suspend deportations to Afghanistan and avoid policies that could legitimize the Taliban, arguing that the country remains unsafe for returnees and that engagement with the Taliban raises serious human rights concerns.
The letter mentions senior EU officials, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas, expressing concern over what they described as the growing normalization of engagement with the Taliban, particularly in the areas of migration management and return arrangements.
The signatories said some European governments have characterized contacts with the Taliban as “technical-level” engagement, but argued that such cooperation risks conferring legitimacy on Taliban, whom they accused of committing widespread human rights violations and alleged crimes against humanity, including gender persecution.
The letter also criticized recent efforts by some European countries to increase returns of undocumented Afghan nationals, warning that such policies could violate international legal obligations and contribute to harmful narratives portraying Afghan refugees as security threats. The organizations said decisions involving deportation or security concerns must be based on individualized assessments and comply with international refugee and human rights law.
The groups argued that engagement with the Taliban is taking place amid what UN experts and human rights organizations have described as an institutionalized system of gender oppression. They said cooperation with those accused of systematically restricting the rights of women, girls, LGBTQ individuals and people with disabilities raises serious ethical and legal concerns.
The letter also expressed concern over the transfer of some Afghan diplomatic missions in Europe to Taliban-appointed representatives. It cited fears among Afghan refugees, former government employees and human rights advocates that personal information could be shared with Taliban, potentially putting individuals and their families at risk.
The organizations said Afghanistan continues to experience widespread human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, torture and systematic discrimination against women and girls. They also pointed to worsening humanitarian conditions and widespread hunger as factors driving displacement.
Citing a ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union, the groups noted that discriminatory measures imposed on Afghan women and girls by the Taliban may constitute persecution under EU law.
The signatories urged the European Union and its member states to ensure that migration cooperation, diplomatic engagement and return policies remain consistent with international refugee law, the principle of non-refoulement and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
Among their recommendations, the organizations called on the EU to immediately suspend deportations to Afghanistan, maintain strict risk assessment standards for Afghan asylum cases, end cooperation with the Taliban involving data-sharing and support the participation of Afghan victims of serious human rights abuses in international discussions on the country’s future.
The letter was signed by 41 Afghan and international civil society organizations, including Rawadari, Accountability Watch Afghanistan, the Civil Society and Human Rights Network, Women Leading Peace and France terre d’asile.
