The UN special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan has described the country’s situation as “dangerous” and has asked the European Union and its member states to refrain from the forced return of Afghan refugees.
In a message on the X social network, Richard Bennett emphasized that the principle of “Non-refoulement” is non-suspensionable and any exception in this regard is considered a violation of the international obligations of governments.
Referring to the continuing risk of torture and ill-treatment in Afghanistan, he said that no diplomatic guarantee from the Taliban can eliminate this risk. Bennett also asked the European Commission to issue clear guidelines to stop the deportation of Afghan refugees.
This UN official also criticized the new regulations of the European Union to speed up the process of deporting migrants and called the invitation of Taliban representatives to Brussels to discuss this issue “an insult to the people of Afghanistan, especially women”.
According to reports, a Taliban delegation headed by Abdul Qahar Balkhi is going to travel to Brussels for talks related to the return of migrants; A trip that has faced critical reactions from human rights institutions and some European legislators.
Meanwhile, Richard Bennett’s stance once again highlights the deep gap between the UN human rights approach and the European Union’s immigration policies.
At the same time, inviting the Taliban to immigration negotiations can become a serious political-legal challenge regarding the legitimacy of interaction with this group at the international level.
- Source: Afghan IRCA news agency
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