KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Austria has deported a 30-year-old Afghan national convicted of multiple crimes, including sexual and violent offences, to Afghanistan, despite ongoing international concerns about human rights under Taliban rule.
In a statement released by the Austrian Interior Ministry, authorities said the man—who had been convicted of 12 criminal offences—was transferred to Kabul on Wednesday, 4 February, after completing seven years of a ten-year prison sentence.
According to the ministry, the deportation was carried out under a court-approved arrangement known as “independent departure under supervision,” which allows early release from prison in exchange for monitored removal from the country. Upon arrival in Kabul, the man was handed over to Taliban authorities.
Austria’s Interior Minister, Gerhard Karner, defended the decision, saying deportations to Afghanistan would continue and that “criminals must leave Austrian territory.” He added that public safety remained a priority for the government.
The deportation comes amid broader European debates over returning asylum seekers and convicted migrants to Afghanistan, where the Taliban regained power in August 2021. Many European countries have suspended forced returns, citing the deteriorating security situation and widespread human rights abuses—particularly against women and former government employees.
However, Austria has previously deported Afghan nationals convicted of serious crimes. The Interior Ministry said that in 2025 alone, Austria deported approximately 3,300 convicted criminals of various nationalities—an average of about ten deportations per day.
Human rights organizations have repeatedly warned that deportees to Afghanistan face risks including arbitrary detention, ill-treatment, and lack of due process, especially when transferred directly to Taliban authorities.
The Austrian government has not disclosed further details about the assurances, if any, received regarding the deportee’s treatment after his handover in Kabul.
