- France confirmed a technical dialogue with Taliban authorities about removing some Afghans considered security risks.
- Human Rights Watch warned that forced returns could expose people to persecution and torture in Afghanistan.
- A source said hundreds could be affected, but France has not disclosed a figure or detailed safeguards.
Human Rights Watch urged France to stop plans to deport Afghans after the government confirmed talks with Taliban authorities about forced returns. The discussions concern people in France without lawful status who officials consider a national security risk. The organization says returns could expose people to serious abuses.
The French Foreign Ministry confirmed the talks publicly on October 9, 2026, after reports on October 7 that France had opened discussions. The ministry spokesperson described them as: “This is a strictly technical dialogue, like that of other European countries, to facilitate the removal of Afghan nationals who are illegally on French territory and who pose a national security risk.”
Fereshta Abbasi, the organization’s Afghanistan researcher, authored its statement, published October 13 and updated October 14. A source familiar with the talks said the number of Afghans who could be affected might be “in the hundreds.” The Foreign Ministry gave no figure and referred questions about numbers to the Interior Ministry.
Abbasi called on France to suspend any deportation plan. She warned that cooperation with the Taliban could expose returnees to persecution, detention, torture and other serious abuses.
HRW warns returned Afghans could face persecution and torture
The organization cited evidence that Taliban forces detained and tortured some Afghans after they were forcibly returned. Its statement also pointed to the dangers faced by people the Taliban may target. The warning was direct.
“No country should be forcing refugees to return to Afghanistan so long as the Taliban continues to commit widespread human rights abuses.”
The statement described restrictions imposed on women and girls since August 2021, including limits on education, movement, employment, expression and participation in public life. Abbasi said the risks of return extend to persecution and other grave harm. Women face particular concerns.
HRW also cited restrictions and threats affecting people considered opponents or allies of women and girls. The group’s argument is not limited to conditions for one category of returnee. It says forced returns could place people at risk of serious abuse.
Return decisions would face a test of individual risk
The principle of non-refoulement generally bars sending someone to a country where they face a real risk of persecution, torture or other serious harm. That protection makes the risk to each person central to any forced-return decision. A security designation alone would not remove the need to assess individual circumstances.
The research identifies women, former government personnel, human-rights defenders, journalists and political opponents among Afghans who may face credible, individualized risks. Others targeted by the Taliban could also face danger. Each case turns on the person’s circumstances.
HRW also referred to the International Criminal Court’s public announcement of arrest warrants for Haibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s Supreme Leader, and three other senior Taliban officials. The warrants concern alleged crimes against humanity involving persecution on gender and political grounds. The allegations include persecution of women and girls, people who do not conform to Taliban gender expectations, and people viewed as their allies.
Paris describes a narrow policy, but has not detailed safeguards
France says the contacts concern removal logistics for Afghans who are in the country unlawfully and pose a national-security or public-order risk. The Foreign Ministry said the initiative would not apply to asylum seekers or women. Officials have characterized the talks as limited.
HRW said France had not publicly set out detailed safeguards for people facing particular danger, including women. That concern sits alongside the government’s stated exclusions. The announcement has not resolved how officials would handle risks in individual cases.
France has not recognized Taliban rule since the group took control of Afghanistan in August 2021. The French embassy in Afghanistan remains closed. Officials also stressed that the talks do not amount to diplomatic recognition.
The government said it had no current arrangement for Taliban representatives to enter France to assist with deportations, unlike reported contacts in Germany. The distinction keeps the French initiative focused on talks between authorities. The mechanics remain unsettled.
European governments have expanded contacts over returns
The French discussions follow broader European engagement with Taliban authorities on migration. An Afghan delegation traveled to Brussels in June 2026 for discussions with European Union officials about migration policy and returns. The meeting drew criticism from human-rights groups because the Taliban has imposed a strict interpretation of Islamic law and deprived women and girls of fundamental rights.
Germany has returned 263 Afghan nationals to Afghanistan since the previous year, according to reporting citing HRW. The country has also pursued direct contacts concerning returns. Those actions have sharpened scrutiny of European efforts to establish arrangements with Taliban authorities.
Amnesty International and UN human-rights experts have warned against involuntary returns, citing reports of arbitrary detention, torture, persecution and other abuses. Their warnings echo HRW’s concerns about the risks Afghans may face after arrival. The debate now includes several European governments.
The talks remain a policy initiative, not a deportation order
France’s announcement describes a policy and diplomatic initiative, not a reported final deportation order or court ruling. HRW says cooperation on migration control must not become a means of sending people back to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. The government has not announced a deportation arrangement with Taliban representatives entering France.
France has not recognized Taliban rule, and its embassy in Afghanistan remains closed. The next concrete question is how French authorities would apply the stated limits to any individual removal case.
This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Consult a qualified immigration attorney about your specific case.
