Date: 2025-06-20
Unfortunately, the global political situation — particularly in the Middle East — has become more volatile than ever, with war and violence on the rise. The ongoing conflict in Iran has triggered widespread chaos in major cities and strategic regions, directly affecting the population.
This war, rooted in serious contradictions within international law, humanitarian international law, and international human rights law, has resulted in numerous casualties and displaced countless innocent civilians.
Among the most vulnerable are Afghan citizens residing in Iran as migrants and asylum seekers. They have now become one of the most at-risk social groups. Regrettably, no institution currently exists to provide even the most basic support to this large and distressed community. Due to legal, social, and cultural challenges, Afghan migrants bear a disproportionate burden of this war and are suffering from intensified displacement and hardship.
In light of this critical political, social, and economic crisis, Human Rights Defenders Plus (HRD+) respectfully calls on the international community to take urgent action on the following points:
- Mass Return of Afghan Migrants: The current situation in Iran is leading to a collective return of Afghan migrants to Afghanistan. We urge global migration support institutions to establish and assign a special emergency response mechanism to provide essential services, including legal assistance and migration-related support to these returnees.
- Support for War Victims: Among Afghan migrants there are war’s victims. However, due to legal complexities, providing support to bereaved families, transferring the wounded to safe locations, and facilitating the transportation and burial of deceased individuals has become extremely difficult. We specifically call on humanitarian organizations — particularly the International Committee of the Red Cross — to not withhold urgent and basic support in these areas.
- Access to Safe Shelter: For Afghan migrants who have fled large cities, access to safe shelter has become a vital concern. Tragically, many are perceived as foreigners and struggle to find pathways to safety. We appeal to all institutions supporting war victims globally to extend their assistance to this highly vulnerable group.
HRD+ stands ready to cooperate with humanitarian institutions to facilitate coordination on these matters and urgently calls on all actors to respond to the plight of war victims during this critical time.