Iran Is ‘Deporting Afghans To Hell’, Says EU Legislator

In a statement released Thursday, NRC Country Director in Afghanistan Jacopo Caridi said: “We are seeing families arrive exhausted and distressed to a country that has very limited capacity to support.”

Caridi stressed that Afghanistan currently lacks the infrastructure and resources to absorb and reintegrate such a large influx of returnees. “We are doing everything we can, but the scale of needs is exceeding the current resources,” he added.

According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), 1.4 million Afghan migrants have returned from Iran since the beginning of 2024. The NRC warned that, if the current pace continues, more than 3 million Afghans could be forced back into the country by the end of 2025.

The organisation called for an immediate halt to forced returns, arguing that present conditions in Afghanistan “do not meet the minimum standards for safety or sustainability.”

According to a statement issued by the Taliban’s Supreme Court on Thursday, 10 July, the punishment was carried out in Jaghori district in the presence of local officials, court representatives, and members of the public. The statement added that the sentence was implemented following formal approval by the Supreme Court.

Just a day earlier, Taliban officials administered similar punishments in the provinces of Faryab and Kapisa, where two individuals were publicly flogged for alleged “illicit relations” and for “transporting alcoholic beverages.”

Despite strong condemnation from international human rights organisations over the use of corporal punishment, the Taliban continue to implement such measures in public. The group maintains that these punishments are in line with its interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.

Abdul Salam Hanafi, deputy to the Taliban’s prime minister, said on Thursday, 10 July, that the forced deportation of Afghan migrants from Iran remains “alarming,” with more than 40,000 people reportedly returning to Afghanistan each day via the Islam Qala and Pul-e-Abrisham border crossings.

Speaking at a press conference in Kabul, Hanafi claimed the situation remains “under control” despite the high volume of returnees.

He alleged that Afghan refugees face mistreatment not only along migration routes but also within camps inside Iran, and said some Iranian citizens have violated the rights of Afghan migrants.

Hanafi added that the Taliban is providing immediate humanitarian assistance to returnees. Each individual is being given 2,000 Afghanis in cash and free transportation to cities across the country, he said.

Iran has significantly increased the deportation of undocumented Afghan nationals in recent months, drawing concern from human rights groups over the treatment of migrants and the lack of safeguards during their return.

In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, 10 July, UNAMA warned that the policy, which requires prior approval of programme content and guest speakers by Taliban authorities, risks fostering fear and self-censorship among Afghan journalists and media outlets.

The directive, titled “Policy on Hosting Political Programmes (Roundtables) in Afghanistan”, was issued by the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture and circulated to domestic media organisations. Afghanistan International has obtained a copy of the four-page document.

Under the new rules, media outlets must seek prior approval from the Ministry before airing political content. Political analysts are also required to obtain official permission and carry a Taliban-issued ID card in order to participate in debates or news programmes.

The directive further instructs broadcasters to align all political content with the "policies of the Islamic Emirate" and warns that any material deemed contrary to Taliban governance, national unity, or Afghan values could result in punitive action, including the suspension or revocation of broadcasting licences.

Media outlets have also been directed to limit criticism of Taliban officials to “respectful tones” and remain within what the group defines as the boundaries of the law.

Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban have gradually tightened their grip on Afghanistan’s media landscape. The latest directive is viewed as a formal escalation in the group's efforts to silence dissent and control public discourse.

Afghanistan’s press freedom has continued to decline under Taliban rule. According to the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, the country now ranks 175th out of 180 nations, with a press freedom score of just 17.88.

The arrest took place on Wednesday, at a mosque in District 15 of the capital. Malik was reportedly taken to an undisclosed location, and his current whereabouts remain unknown.

Sources told Afghanistan International that Malik had previously been arrested by the Taliban in 2022 over alleged links to the National Resistance Front (NRF), a claim his family continues to deny. He was released after spending two years in custody.

Relatives now fear renewed accusations could endanger his life or lead to further mistreatment in detention, especially in the absence of any public legal proceedings.

Mawlawi Abdul Malik is originally from the village of Abdullahkhil in Dara district, Panjshir province. He previously served as deputy head of the Ulema Council in Panjshir and was the head of the Abdul Wahid Islamic School in the province.

This is not the first time a member of his family has been targeted. On 7 April 2023, Taliban forces arrested his brother, Payinda Mohammad, a former officer in Afghanistan’s now-defunct National Directorate of Security (NDS). He was released after three months in custody.