Geneva: The UN human rights office on Friday warned against a "multi-layered human rights crisis" due to increasing returns of Afghans. "The surge in the number of Afghans forced or compelled to return to Afghanistan this year is creating a multi-layered human rights crisis requiring the urgent attention of the international community," the UN human rights office wrote in a statement.

According to Anadolu Agency, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk called for an "immediate halt" to the forcible return of all Afghan refugees and asylum-seekers, "particularly those at risk of persecution, arbitrary detention, or torture upon their return." He emphasized the importance of voluntary, safe, and dignified returns that align with international law, urging countries in the region to uphold these standards.

The statement highlighted that in just over seven months, at least 1.9 million Afghans have returned from Iran and Pakistan to Afghanistan. More than 1.5 million of these returns were from Iran alone, with 60% of individuals being deported. The UN underscored that sending individuals back to a country where they face risks such as persecution, torture, or other irreparable harm violates the core international law principle of non-refoulement.