Rights Groups Criticize EU Talks with Taliban over Afghan Returns

Belgium has issued five visas to a Taliban delegation due to attend a European Union meeting on migration in Brussels. It will be the first time the EU has hosted representatives of the movement since it returned to power in Afghanistan five years ago.

The entry permits are valid only for Belgium and for one day. The European Commission said the talks would be a technical meeting and would not constitute recognition of the Taliban government.

The discussions are expected to focus on the return and readmission of Afghan citizens who have no right to remain in EU member states.

Several human rights organizations have criticized the plan. Human Rights Watch said any negotiations with the Taliban should prioritize human rights protection and regime accountability, not the deportation of people to a country where they may face danger. Amnesty International has called returns to Afghanistan unacceptable.

Since 2021, hundreds of thousands of Afghans have sought asylum in Europe. Returns to the country have so far been limited, partly because of the absence of diplomatic relations.

Afghanistan continues to face a serious humanitarian crisis. According to the UN World Food Programme, more than 17 million people are suffering from food insecurity.

(Reuters, bak)