Iran to transfer 1,500 Afghan prisoners to Afghanistan, Taliban says
The Taliban announced that Iran will soon transfer 1,500 Afghan prisoners to Afghanistan. This news was released by the Taliban’s Supreme Court. Further details regarding the exact timing and conditions of the transfer are not yet available.
On Sunday, January 19, the Taliban’s Supreme Court issued a statement confirming that a delegation led by Abdul Malik Haqqani, the administrative deputy of the court, met with Kazem Gharib Abadi, Iran’s Deputy for International Affairs of the Judiciary, during their visit to Tehran.
The statement mentioned that both sides emphasized strengthening cooperation in judicial and legal sectors, as well as the transfer of prisoners.
Another issue discussed during the meeting, according to the Taliban, was alternatives to the death penalty for Afghan prisoners sentenced to death in Iran.
The statement also indicated that the rights of Afghan migrants were a topic of discussion.
In the past, when Afghan prisoners were transferred from Iranian jails to the Taliban, concerns were raised that some of these individuals might be opposed to the Taliban and could face rights violations.
This move comes at a time when issues such as Afghan migrants’ rights, the implementation of death penalties for migrants, and judicial interactions between the two countries remain contentious and significant in the relationship between the Taliban and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Previously, Askar Jalalian, Deputy for Human Rights and International Affairs at Iran’s Ministry of Justice, had stated that 8,000 foreign nationals are imprisoned in the Islamic Republic, with many being Afghan citizens.
The transfer of Afghan prisoners will take place based on the 2006 agreement on the transfer of convicted prisoners between Iran and Afghanistan.
According to reports, most Afghan prisoners are held in Iran for crimes related to drug trafficking and murder.
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