Forced returns, illegal shootings, arbitrary arrests: Amnesty International denounces the attitude of Turkey and Iran towards Afghans seeking to flee their country, in a report published this Wednesday.
“Iranian and Turkish security forces have on numerous occasions illegally forcibly returned Afghans attempting to cross the borders of these countries to safety, including illegally opening fire on men, women and children,” according to the report.
The survey was carried out in March in Afghanistan with 74 people who said they had been forcibly returned, including 48 who said they had been shot while trying to cross the borders with Iran or Turkey.
Dozens of people killed or injured
According to the NGO, Iranian forces “illegally killed and injured dozens” of people, including opening fire on overloaded cars. “Turkish border guards also used live ammunition illegally,” according to Amnesty researcher Marie Forestier, quoted in the report.
The organization met with the relatives of six men and a 16-year-old boy killed by Iranian security forces while trying to cross the Iranian border between April 2021 and January 2022. In total, the organization has recorded 11 killings attributed to the Iranian security. cash.
According to Amnesty International, the latter fired at people who were climbing over border walls, slipping under fences, or walking or driving away from the border into Iranian territory.
Many of those who managed to cross the border with the two countries suffered torture and arbitrary detention in Turkey or Iran, before being forcibly returned to Afghanistan, according to the NGO.
“We call on the Turkish and Iranian authorities to immediately end all illegal deportations and returns and ensure safe passage and access to asylum procedures” for Afghans seeking protection, Amnesty urges.
The NGO also calls on the international community to financially support countries hosting Afghan refugees, including Iran and Turkey.
Source: BFM TV
