On World Refugee Day (20 June), Amnesty International urged the international community not to return refugees to Afghanistan while the country remains unsafe and insecure.
After the fall of the Taleban, officials from certain countries, including the United Kingdom and Australia, have indicated that they felt the situation had changed to such an extent that Afghan asylum seekers could return or be returned to the country.
"Afghanistan is far from stable - fighting continues, crime and banditry are rife, women and ethnic groups have been targetted for abuse, and there are thousands of unexploded landmines," the organization said.
"While the situation remains fluid, governments should not encourage voluntary repatriation."
Although hundreds of thousands of refugees have returned from Pakistan and Iran, many of them appear to be returning because they are not protected in their countries of asylum and transit. While the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) is facilitating these returns, it is not encouraging voluntary repatriation.
After the fall of the Taleban, officials from certain countries, including the United Kingdom and Australia, have indicated that they felt the situation had changed to such an extent that Afghan asylum seekers could return or be returned to the country.
"Afghanistan is far from stable - fighting continues, crime and banditry are rife, women and ethnic groups have been targetted for abuse, and there are thousands of unexploded landmines," the organization said.
"While the situation remains fluid, governments should not encourage voluntary repatriation."
Although hundreds of thousands of refugees have returned from Pakistan and Iran, many of them appear to be returning because they are not protected in their countries of asylum and transit. While the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) is facilitating these returns, it is not encouraging voluntary repatriation.