Austria deports Afghan national convicted of serious crimes

Austria has deported an Afghan national to Kabul, marking the country’s first such action since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021.

The move comes as the Austrian government intensifies its crackdown on illegal immigration, a policy aimed in part at countering the appeal of the far-right Freedom Party (FPO), which has long campaigned on anti-immigration rhetoric.

Chancellor Christian Stocker of the conservative Austrian People’s Party announced the deportation on X, writing: “This morning, a man convicted of serious crimes was deported to Kabul – the first deportation to Afghanistan since 2021.”

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He added, “Austria is thus sending a clear message: zero tolerance for anyone who has forfeited their right to remain by committing criminal offences.”

In July, Austria also became the first European Union member to send a Syrian national back to their country since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war. That move, too, drew condemnation from human rights organizations, which argued it was premature to consider Syria or Afghanistan safe for returns.

Vienna has been signaling for months its intention to resume deportations to Afghanistan despite widespread opposition.

Amnesty International strongly criticized the latest decision, warning that Afghanistan remains “one of the most dangerous countries in the world.”