Tajik opposition group condemns Iran for abuse of Afghan migrants, calls for probe

Reported by Kokcha News Agency

The Movement for Reforms and Development of Tajikistan, based in the Netherlands, has issued a scathing statement condemning the Iranian government for what it describes as “barbaric and inhumane” treatment of Afghan migrants and refugees. The group has called on the international community to launch an independent investigation into the alleged systemic violence, including the destruction of migrants’ documents, extortion, beatings, and executions within Iranian detention camps.

The statement, released during Muharram, the Islamic month of mourning, invoked the legacy of Imam Hussein, accusing Iran of betraying Islamic values in its treatment of fellow Muslims.

Allegations of Abuse
The group’s statement aligns with reports from Afghan returnees, rights organizations, and international agencies documenting the dire conditions faced by undocumented Afghan migrants in Iran. According to Iranian officials, nearly 490,000 Afghans have left Iran via the Dogharoun/Islam Qala border in the past 100 days, most of them undocumented. While Iran insists these departures are voluntary, independent reports suggest coercion and abuse have driven many across the border.

A 2025 investigation by Human Rights Watch (HRW) and the Zagros Human Rights Center revealed extensive evidence of torture in Iranian detention centers, including beatings, electric shocks, forced confessions, and deaths due to medical neglect. Afghan detainees were among the victims.

HRW stated earlier this year, “Afghans in Iran are facing increasing pressure as their presence in the country is politicized and used as a scapegoat for social tensions. Many Afghans who fled to Iran after the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan do not have legal residency, making them vulnerable to discrimination, exploitation, and deportation.”

Criticism of Iran’s Hypocrisy
The Movement for Reforms and Development sharply criticized what it described as Tehran’s hypocrisy, contrasting the Islamic Republic’s rhetoric about “Persian brotherhood” and “shared culture” with its actions on the ground.

“What kind of ‘civilization’ is this, where women are beaten to the point of broken bones, pregnant women are thrown out of buses, and children are left to die in the desert? Where is this so-called ‘brotherhood’ if destitute people who have lost everything are discarded beyond the country’s borders as if they are worthless and undeserving of even basic human dignity?” the group asked.

The group also accused the Iranian government of political manipulation, using cultural and religious ties with Afghanistan and Tajikistan to justify regional influence while simultaneously mistreating vulnerable Afghan refugees.

Call for International Action
The organization urged Muslim-majority countries, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the United Nations, and independent human rights organizations to initiate an independent and impartial investigation into the crimes and mass human rights violations being committed by Iran against Afghan migrants and asylum seekers.

Iran’s Response
Iran has hosted millions of Afghan refugees for decades, but recent economic strain, tightening immigration policies, and geopolitical shifts have created a hostile environment for many Afghans. While the Iranian government claims its repatriation programs are humane, growing accounts of violence and degradation have prompted increasing concern from human rights observers and regional activists.

Earlier this year, Iran’s envoy to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, stated that Iran’s longstanding policy toward Afghan refugees remains rooted in “humanitarian principles.” He noted that legal Afghan migrants face no restrictions and that Iran continues to issue thousands of visas daily.

However, this month has seen an uptick in deportations amid regional tensions following Iran–Israel hostilities. Government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani defended the large-scale removal of as many as 30,000 Afghans per day as necessary for national security. She insisted Iran remains a “good host” but must protect its borders—denying that refugees were being targeted as spies, although acknowledging they’ve faced hardships at detention centers.