KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A human rights organization has urged the European Commission to cancel reported plans to host a Taliban delegation in Brussels for talks on Afghan deportations, warning that such engagement would normalize a group accused of serious rights abuses.
Accountability Watch Afghanistan (AWA) said in a statement on Friday that inviting Taliban representatives under the label of “technical” talks would run counter to the EU’s benchmarks for engagement with Afghanistan and undermine its human rights standards.
The group pointed to the Taliban’s policies since returning to power in 2021, including severe restrictions on women and girls, persecution of marginalized groups, and widespread reports of disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and public executions.
“Engaging with the Taliban apartheid regime at the European capital Brussels will only benefit the Taliban, bolstering their domestic legitimacy claims, cross-border mobility, and eventually allowing them to impose further restrictions on the people of Afghanistan,” the statement added. “Therefore, the label ‘technical team’ should not be used as a diplomatic shroud to normalize the regime.”
The organization also criticized growing discussions in several European countries on deporting Afghan nationals, including Belgium, Sweden, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, particularly those whose asylum claims have been rejected or who have criminal convictions.
“Regardless of individual legal backgrounds or immigration status, deporting nationals of Afghanistan to a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan puts them at risk of serious human rights violations, including arbitrary arrest, torture, death, and disappearance,” the group said.
The organization warned that such returns could breach international refugee law, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, and the European Convention on Human Rights, particularly the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits sending individuals to places where they face real risks of persecution.
AWA called on the European Commission and EU member states to immediately cancel all planned invitations for the Taliban, halt forced returns, enhance safe and legal pathways for Afghan migrants and refugees, and support efforts for an inclusive government in Afghanistan.
Agence France-Presse reported on Monday, citing diplomatic sources, that European officials were preparing to host a Taliban delegation for “technical discussions” focused on the return of Afghan nationals without legal status in the bloc.
The report stated that the visit would be coordinated by the European Commission in collaboration with several member states, but emphasized that no formal invitation had been issued. EU officials have not confirmed the plan.
The reported plan has drawn sharp criticism from EU lawmakers, human rights groups, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, and Afghan activists.
European Parliament member Hannah Neumann warned against any form of engagement, posting on X: “EU officials rolling out the red carpet for the Taliban in Brussels,” and adding that linking recognition to deportation arrangements would be “a recipe for disaster.” “No legitimacy for the Taliban. No backdoor deals,” she added.
Richard Bennett also expressed concern over the report, warning that any returns to Afghanistan could breach the principle of non-refoulement due to widespread abuses under Taliban rule, particularly against women, human rights defenders, and former public officials.
Several European countries have increased deportations of Afghan nationals in recent years, particularly those convicted of crimes. Germany has conducted multiple charter deportation flights since 2024 with support from Qatar, while Austria has carried out similar removals.
Rights groups continue to warn that Afghanistan remains unsafe under Taliban rule and that forced returns could expose individuals to serious harm.
