RASC News Agency: A number of Afghanistani refugees residing in Tajikistan have reported that the government has intensified its campaign of forced deportations in recent weeks. Refugees have voiced concerns that even those with valid legal documentation and official registration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) are being subjected to expulsion. Sources among the refugee community have revealed that large numbers of Afghanistani nationals have been deported without clear legal grounds or official notice. Many now live in constant fear of arbitrary arrest and removal, with some too afraid to leave their homes. Refugees have also accused the Tajik government of launching a sudden and coordinated campaign of detentions and expulsions one that sharply contrasts with the comparatively systematic approaches employed in neighboring countries like Iran and Pakistan.
In response to these developments, the UNHCR issued a statement on January 29 condemning the forced return of Afghanistani asylum seekers from Tajikistan as a clear violation of international law. The agency reported that in December 2024 alone, at least 80 individuals most of whom held valid residence permits were expelled from the country. The UNHCR emphasized that the removal of persons who face a risk of torture or other grave human rights abuses in their country of origin runs contrary to Tajikistan’s legal obligations under both international and domestic refugee protection frameworks. Previously, the UNHCR had underscored that the principle of non-refoulement the prohibition against forcibly returning individuals to countries where they face serious threats to life or freedom must be strictly observed.
Reports estimate that by the end of 2024, approximately 9,000 Afghanistani refugees remained in Tajikistan, the majority having fled Taliban rule following the collapse of the former Afghanistani government in 2021. The growing crackdown has sparked criticism from international human rights organizations, which have called on the Tajik authorities to immediately halt deportations and uphold their commitment to the rule of law and humanitarian norms. In the meantime, thousands of displaced Afghanistani families continue to live under the shadow of fear, uncertain whether their temporary refuge might end without warning.
