The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it is working to release a number of Afghans who are imprisoned in other countries.
Zia Ahmad Takal, Deputy Spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that previously the ministry has freed several Afghan prisoners from various countries, including Iran, and has transferred them back to the country.
Takal said: “In the past three years, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate has freed imprisoned Afghans from Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, the UAE, and many other countries, and serious efforts are currently underway to resolve this challenge.”
At the same time, Kazem Gharibabadi, Deputy for International Affairs of Iran’s Judiciary, stated that nearly 95 percent of the foreign prisoners in the country are Afghan nationals.
Iranian media, quoting Gharibabadi, wrote that they are emphasizing the necessary follow-ups for the transfer of eligible convicts based on a bilateral agreement and expressed hope that they would reach a result this year.
The report from these media outlets stated: “According to statistics, nearly 95 percent of the foreign prisoners in the country are Afghan nationals. The necessary follow-ups for the transfer of eligible convicts based on a bilateral agreement are ongoing, and we hope to achieve a result this year.”
Naqibullah Noori, a lawyer, said: “The Islamic Emirate, through diplomatic means, can request from Iran to create the conditions for these prisoners to be returned to Afghanistan.”
Previously, the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriations had stated that eleven thousand Afghan migrants are imprisoned in Iran and Pakistan.
On the other hand, several migrants residing in Iran are asking the Islamic Emirate to address their challenges in the country.
Akbar Sultani, an Afghan migrant in Iran, said: “There are also individuals who have been in prisons for five to six months, and their fate is unknown.”
Previously, a judicial delegation from Iran had traveled to Kabul to address some challenges, particularly the issue of Afghan prisoners in Iran.
The Deputy Minister of Justice of the Islamic Emirate also emphasized the transfer of Afghan prisoners from Iranian prisons to the country during a meeting with this delegation.