Switzerland to return rejected asylum-seekers to Afghanistan

Switzerland has decided to resume the deportation of rejected asylum-seekers to Afghanistan, it has been confirmed. The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) confirmed to Swiss public television, SRF, on Sunday that deportation flights would take place with immediate effect. This move, which mirrors similar decisions in other European countries, follows an agreement with the Afghan government, the SEM said. According to the SEM, 144 rejected asylum-seekers from Afghanistan who are staying in Switzerland will be returned to their home country. The date of their returns is not known. Human rights groups have criticised the decision, warning that Afghanistan remains one of the most dangerous countries in the world. Amnesty International views any current deportation to Afghanistan as a violation of human rights. “This decision is irresponsible. The security and human rights situations in Afghanistan are extremely precarious,” Alicia Giraudel, an asylum expert at Amnesty...