London-based human rights organization Amnesty International on Thursday called on Germany to continue taking in refugees from Afghanistan, amid concerns that the government initiative it leads could be halted for financial reasons.
“The Afghan reception program for Afghans in great danger was a glimmer of hope,” said Theresa Bergmann, spokeswoman for the German branch of the organization.
“If it were up to Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, the program would no longer be funded starting next year. That is scandalous,” she added.
Some 3,100 Afghans whose applications were accepted through the initiative will be admitted, but the future is unclear.
German Commissioner for Human Rights Luise Amtsberg described the initiative as an “important tool” for the protection of Afghans, adding that it was “essential” to continue it given the difficult situation in Afghanistan.
Amnesty International reports that since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, there have been ongoing human rights violations and crimes against international law in Afghanistan, particularly affecting women and girls.
Activists and journalists were arrested, tortured and disappeared, and many people were forced to flee the country.
According to Amnesty, many refugees are stuck in Iran, Pakistan and Turkey, where they face legal and financial problems and are at risk of being deported to Afghanistan.
