Cyprus begins rejecting asylum applications from Afghan nationals

The Cyprus branch of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) has reported that, according to their information, the Cypriot authorities have denied asylum to at least 15 Afghan nationals. This may indicate that Cyprus has effectively started to treat Afghanistan as a "safe country," despite the ongoing Taliban regime since 2021. According to IWW, such mass rejections of Afghans are unprecedented since the Taliban took power.

The organization notes that Afghan citizens previously were generally granted asylum on the island. Now, applicants whose requests have been rejected have the opportunity to appeal the decision by the end of July 2025. The cost of the appeal is estimated between 1,000 and 2,000 euros, though partial coverage through legal aid is possible.

Among those affected is an IWW union activist named Abed (a pseudonym), who previously advocated for workers’ rights in Afghanistan and, according to the organization, was persecuted by the Taliban. His family warns of a real threat in case of deportation.

IWW called the rejections part of a harsh Cypriot government policy toward migrants and pointed to Cyprus’s reputation as a country with a high deportation rate. The organization has launched a fundraising campaign to support the appeals, stating that Abed and other applicants have a chance to win their cases.

IWW also believes that the new practice may be a political move: the state allegedly reserves the right to asylum only for those who can afford to file an appeal, while quietly deporting the rest.

Since 2021, the Taliban has restricted women's rights and freedoms in Afghanistan, a fact confirmed by the UN and human rights defenders. In 2022, Cyprus condemned the bans on women's education and employment in the country.

Since President Christodoulides took office in 2023, Cyprus has deported over 18,000 migrants. The return rate exceeds the number of new arrivals by 179% — the highest rate in the EU, raising concern among human rights organizations.