Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, on Tuesday condemned the arrests and deportations of Afghan refugees in Pakistan and called for their protection and better treatment.
In a post on X, Mr. Bennett expressed concern over reports of arrests and deportations of Afghan refugees in Pakistan.
“Concerning reports from Pakistan about arrests and deportation of Afghans. I reiterate my call for protection and non-refoulement, especially of vulnerable categories. Afghans hosted in region need better treatment. I urge all States to step up host country funding and relocation pathways,” he wrote.
Mr. Bennett emphasized the need to prevent the forced return of Afghan refugees, particularly those in vulnerable categories, and called on host countries to ensure their safety and dignity. He also urged member states to increase financial and logistical support for nations hosting Afghan refugees to address the growing crisis.
This comes after a sharp increase in arrests of Afghan refugees in Pakistan over the past five days. Taliban have said that at least 800 Afghan migrants have been arrested by the Pakistani police.
