UN criticizes the Emirates for evacuating 750 Afghanis
United Arab Emirates-Afghanistan, Politics, 2/28/2002

The UNHCR suddenly on Tuesday evacuated 750 Afghanis to their country which lacks stability. The UNHCR commissioner Cress Banoveski said in a press statement that this is not the proper time for any state to evacuate Afghans from its territories.

He said that "we feel concerned over the conditions of collective deportation and we review these conditions with the authorities." He said that the deported men were not permitted to meet with the UNHCR before they were transported by air to Kabul on board of two Boeing 747 planes last Saturday.

He said that without meeting with these idividuals, it can not be assured that there are not among them persons who have human rights concerns or need protection as refugees. Those Afghani were among 25,000 Afghans who were imprisoned for more than one year after it was found out they are living illegally in the UAE, according to the UNHCR.

Peter, Kessler, the spokesman for UNHCR said:" we have repeatedly asked to meet with those Afghanis in order to know whether if they want to seek asylum."

Previous Stories:
  More Afghans to be expelled from UAE   (2/25/2002)
  UAE expels Afghans   (2/25/2002)
  Sheikh Zayed confers with Karazai   (2/12/2002)

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