Iran's Crackdown on Afghan Refugees Deepens Their Struggles
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Synopsis
Iran has intensified its crackdown on Afghan refugees in Sistan and Baluchestan, arresting hundreds due to alleged security concerns. Reports highlight ongoing mistreatment, rising executions, and challenges faced by Afghans in Iran, worsening their longstanding struggles stemming from decades of conflict and instability.
Key Takeaways
- Iran detains Afghan migrants citing security concerns.
- 123 Afghans arrested in Chabahar.
- Additional 152 Afghan migrants detained in Hirmand.
- Reports of mistreatment and abuse by authorities.
- Rising number of Afghan executions in Iran.
Tehran, Feb 25 (NationPress) Iran has initiated yet another extensive operation to apprehend Afghan migrants in the southeastern region of Sistan and Baluchestan, citing security issues, as reported by Iranian state media on Sunday.
The state-run news organization, ISNA, revealed that the police chief of Chabahar, Mohammad Shabik, declared the arrest of 123 Afghan nationals in this Iranian port city.
In a previous incident in Hirmand, a district located in northern Sistan and Baluchestan near the Afghan border, authorities detained an additional 152 Afghan migrants.
Afghan refugees consistently report experiencing mistreatment and facing difficulties due to the restrictions enforced by the Iranian government, as highlighted by the leading Afghan media outlet, Amu TV.
Last year, multiple reports surfaced where Afghan refugees were subjected to humiliation and mistreatment by both Iranian police and citizens.
Social media was rife with videos showcasing the harassment of Afghan migrants, accompanied by anti-Afghan slogans within Iran. Furthermore, the Iranian government has imposed stringent restrictions on Afghan refugees, complicating their ability to secure a stable livelihood.
One Afghan refugee expressed, "There is no distinction between people -- all of them dislike Afghan migrants, and when arrested by the police, they beat them extensively."
A report from the Iran Human Rights Organization indicated that 80 Afghan prisoners were executed in Iran in 2024, a figure that has tripled since 2023.
"Unfortunately, the execution of defenseless and oppressed Afghans in Iran is increasing. This is intolerable for the people of Afghanistan and also violates international conventions and standards," reported by the prominent Afghan media outlet TOLO News, citing Afghan political analyst Fazl-ur-Rahman Oria.
Afghans have endured over 40 years of conflict, natural disasters, systemic poverty, food insecurity, the Covid pandemic, and, most recently, a transition in governmental authorities.
The events leading to the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021 exacerbated instability, resulting in increased displacement.
According to a report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, nearly 10.9 million Afghans remain displaced globally, primarily within their homeland or in neighboring countries, due to conflict, violence, and poverty.
