GPWG and 46 Afghan and international civil society organisations have signed a joint public letter to the European Union raising serious concerns about the normalisation of engagement with the Taliban and the growing use of migration cooperation and return policies that risk violating human rights protections.

The letter calls on the EU and its Member States to ensure that all migration, asylum, diplomatic, and return-related policies are fully aligned with international refugee law, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, and the principle of non-refoulement. It urges the EU to immediately suspend returns to Afghanistan, end cooperation that could expose Afghans to Taliban surveillance or harm, and ensure the meaningful participation of Afghan victims and survivors, including women, girls, LGBTQI+ people, and other communities affected by gender persecution, in discussions about Afghanistan’s future.