Human Rights Groups Urge Germany to Fulfill Its Promise to Admit Afghan Refugees

Human Rights Groups Urge Germany to Fulfill Its Promise to Admit Afghan Refugees
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Last week, ahead of International Human Rights Day, more than 250 NGOs, including Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders, have called on the German government to honor its pledge to admit over 1,800 Afghan refugees currently stranded in Pakistan and at risk of deportation to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

According to AFP, the organizations sent a joint letter urging Germany to issue visas and transfer the refugees without delay. They stressed that the individuals—many of whom have already received formal admission commitments from Berlin—remain in limbo while facing possible expulsion.

Among the signatories are human rights groups and press-freedom organizations. They appealed directly to Germany’s interior and foreign ministers, asking them to act before the end of the year to ensure the refugees’ safety from potential Taliban persecution.

AFP reports that Germany’s original admission program targeted Afghans considered at high risk, including former employees of the German military, journalists, lawyers, and human rights defenders. However, the program was halted and tightened after the conservative government of Friedrich Merz took office.

Although German courts have compelled authorities to accept some applicants, many remain in Pakistan awaiting visas. Pakistani authorities have recently proposed financial incentives to encourage certain refugees to forgo migration to Germany.

The NGOs emphasized that these Afghans have contributed to promoting democracy, the rule of law, and the rights of women and children, and urged Berlin to uphold its commitments and protect them from further rights violations.