Afghanistan Peace Campaign
Askar Jalalian, Iran’s Deputy Minister of Justice for International Affairs and Human Rights, announced that within the next two months, 1,000 Afghan prisoners will be transferred to Afghanistan.
He also expressed intentions to visit Kabul to discuss the transfer of these prisoners and the repatriation of Iranian detainees in Afghanistan with the Taliban.
According to a report by ISNA on Wednesday, November 13, Jalalian stated that the agreement for transferring convicts between Iran and Afghanistan was established in 2006, and the Taliban are committed to this official accord.
He added, “I am now heading to Kabul to negotiate the transfer of Afghan prisoners in Tehran and the repatriation of Iranian prisoners in Afghanistan.”
Jalalian detailed that the Afghan prisoners, upon being handed over to the Taliban, will serve the remainder of their sentences in Afghanistan.
He noted that most of these Afghan inmates are convicted of drug-related offenses.
The Iranian judicial official claimed that the transfer of Afghan prisoners to their homeland is conducted with their consent.
Jalalian emphasized that if a prisoner does not consent, they will not be returned to Afghanistan. Additionally, these prisoners should not have private complainants or debts, and their sentences should not include execution or retribution.
Jalalian stated, “According to the latest statistics, the number of Iranian detainees in Afghanistan is less than ten, and we are striving to repatriate them through a logical process based on the agreement.”
Previously, when Afghan prisoners were handed over from Iranian prisons to the Taliban, concerns were raised that some of them might be opponents of the group and could face human rights violations.
The situation of Afghan refugees and detainees highlights significant human rights concerns. Many Afghan refugees, fleeing conflict and instability, often find themselves in precarious conditions without adequate legal protection.
The lack of access to legal representation and judicial institutions for prisoners exacerbates their vulnerability, leading to potential violations of their fundamental rights.
Ensuring that detainees have access to attorneys and fair legal processes is crucial in upholding human rights standards.
Addressing these issues requires collaborative efforts between nations to uphold international human rights obligations, ensuring that refugees and prisoners are treated with dignity and have access to justice.