Human Rights Watch has urged France to suspend plans to deport Afghans to Afghanistan after French authorities confirmed they had opened a “technical dialogue” with Taliban authorities over the return of Afghan nationals considered security risks.
The French Foreign Ministry said the talks were intended “to facilitate the removal of Afghan nationals who are illegally on the national territory and who represent a national security risk.”
Human Rights Watch said the discussions could pave the way for forced returns to Afghanistan, where deportees could face persecution, torture or other serious abuses.
The rights group said French officials have described the talks as narrowly focused but have not provided guarantees that people particularly at risk, including women, would be protected if returned.
The discussions follow contacts between Taliban representatives and European officials over migration. A Taliban delegation traveled to Brussels in June for talks that included migration and return policies, according to Human Rights Watch.
The group also noted that Germany has deported 263 Afghans since last year, pointing to a broader push by some European governments to return Afghan nationals.
Human Rights Watch said there is evidence that some Afghans forcibly returned to the country have subsequently been detained or tortured by Taliban forces.
The organization also cited restrictions imposed on women and girls since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, including bans on secondary and university education for girls and women and extensive restrictions on employment, movement and public life.
Human Rights Watch pointed to International Criminal Court proceedings against senior Taliban officials. The ICC issued arrest warrants in 2025 for Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and three other senior officials over alleged persecution on gender and political grounds. The warrants were later made public.
The rights group said France should not forcibly return people who face a genuine risk of persecution or other serious harm in Afghanistan.
“No country should be forcing refugees to return to Afghanistan so long as the Taliban continues to commit widespread human rights abuses,” Human Rights Watch said.
It called on France to suspend any deportation plans and said cooperation with Taliban authorities on migration should not be used to return people to circumstances in which they could face persecution or other grave abuses.
This comes as Germany has also moved to expand deportations to Afghanistan and has held direct contacts with Taliban authorities over returns.
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