Kabul, March 20 (IANS) Amid serious challenges faced by the Afghan refugees in Iran, the country transferred 149 Afghan inmates to the Taliban, according to media reports.
Iran’s Deputy Minister of Justice for Human Rights and International Affairs, Askar Jalalian, announced that 149 Afghan prisoners have been transferred from Iran to Afghanistan.
He stated that these prisoners were handed over to the Taliban to serve the remainder of their sentences.
Meanwhile, the Taliban have not publicly commented on the fate of transferred prisoners or whether they will serve their full sentences under its rule. The exact number of Afghan prisoners in Iran remains unclear, but rights groups estimate that a significant number are imprisoned across the country, Afghan media outlet Amu TV reported.
According to a report by the Iran Human Rights Organization, 80 Afghan prisoners were executed in Iran in 2024, a number that tripled since 2023.
Afghan refugees in Iran time and again have reported instances of mistreatment and challenges faced due to the restrictions imposed by the Iranian government.
Last week, Nader Yarahmadi, director general of the Bureau for Foreign Nationals and Immigrants Affairs at Iran’s Ministry of Interior, announced that from March 21, 2025, undocumented Afghan migrants in Iran will be deprived of healthcare, education, and other services.
“The situation of migrants in Iran is dire. Anti-migrant sentiment has increased, and police officers arrest people under various pretexts, even those with legal visas and valid documents, and deport them,” Marofeh Eshaqi, an Afghan migrant in Iran, told TOLO news.
Last year, several incidents were reported where several Afghan refugees were subjected to humiliation and abuse by Iranian police officials and citizens.
Videos were circulating in social media that showed harassment of Afghan migrants, along with anti-Afghan migrant slogans in Iran.
The Iranian government further imposed severe restrictions on Afghan refugees that created difficulty for them in earning a stable income.
“Unfortunately, the execution of defenceless and oppressed Afghans in Iran is increasing. This is intolerable for the people of Afghanistan and also violates international conventions and standards,” Afghan Political analyst Fazl-ur-Rahman Oria said.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, refugees are the people fleeing conflict or persecution. They are defined and protected in international law and must not be expelled or returned to situations where their life and freedom are at risk.
However, Iran has been deporting the Afghan refugees despite growing uncertainties in Afghanistan. Fleeing from war and conflict in their country, migrants from Afghanistan have been taking refuge in Iran for decades now.
They are facing deportation and illegal detention despite holding valid legal documents. The refugees are also often subjected to harassment and abuse by the Iranian authorities.
–IANS
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