The UAE “arbitrarily detains” 2,400 Afghan asylum seekers

Reports said more than 10,000 other Afghans flown to the UAE were resettled in the United States, Canada and elsewhere, while another 70,000 were evacuated directly to the United States before US forces left Kabul.

The Afghans, who were flown to Abu Dhabi after the Taliban seized power, were housed in two modified apartment complexes, known as Emirates Humanitarian City and Design Workers City.

Human Rights Watch said in a report published on Wednesday that it spoke to 16 Afghans held in Emirates Humanitarian City, including eight who at some point worked for US government entities or programs in Afghanistan.

They reported restrictions on their freedom of movement, lack of fair and effective refugee status determination procedures and safe and legal pathways to relocation to other countries, lack of adequate legal advice, and lack of appropriate educational services for children.

Detainees also reported suffering from overcrowding, deteriorating infrastructure and vermin infestations, according to the US-based campaign group.

An unnamed Afghani was quoted as saying that the Emirates Humanitarian City was “just like a prison,” while another spoke of a “widespread mental health crisis among the population.”

Under international law and guidance from the UN refugee agency, asylum seekers and migrants should not be detained for administrative purposes unless it is necessary to achieve a legitimate aim and when there are no viable alternatives.

Human Rights Watch called on the UAE to release the detainees and provide access to fair and effective procedures to determine their status and protect them.

“Governments should not ignore the horrific plight of these Afghans trapped in limbo in the UAE,” said Juwi Xia, an Emirati researcher with the group.

“In particular, the US government that coordinated the 2021 evacuations, and with whom many of the evacuees worked prior to the Taliban takeover, should immediately step in to provide support and protection to these asylum seekers,” he added.

An Emirati official told AFP that the UAE provides “high-quality housing, sanitation, health, clinical and other services such as counseling, education and food” to Afghans in the Emirates Humanitarian City.

He also said that the UAE continues to work with US authorities to “resettle the evacuees in a timely manner.”

“We understand there are frustrations, and this has taken longer than planned to complete,” he added.

The US State Department said there is an “enduring” US commitment to resettle all eligible Afghans, including those living in the Emirates Humanitarian City.