Commissioner Magnus Brunner briefed the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) on the European Commission’s meeting with Taliban-appointed representatives. According to the Commission, the talks focused exclusively on returning people convicted of terrorism, murder or rape. Meanwhile, German authorities are reportedly also preparing to deport Afghans who have not been convicted of any crime.
Particularly concerning is the Taliban’s insistence that returns depend on functioning consular services. This raises the question of whether Taliban representatives could take control of further Afghan consulates across Europe. For Afghans who have fled the regime, the consequences would be immediate: they could be forced to renew their passports, register the birth of a child or apply for other essential documents through Taliban officials.
The Commission stressed that these were purely “technical”, rather than political, talks. But there is no such thing as purely technical cooperation with the Taliban. Every official meeting carries the risk of contributing to their political normalisation and that is something we must prevent.
The European Commission must now disclose who will be deported, what the Taliban expect in exchange and how Afghans living in Europe will be protected from transnational repression.
Mehr dazu bei Amu TV, Afghanistan International, Kabul Tribune und Tolo News.
