Switzerland is resuming deportations to Afghanistan in certain cases
Keystone-SDA
Refugees from Afghanistan can again be returned to their country after the Swiss Federal Administrative Court ruled repatriations possible under “favourable individual circumstances”.
Listen to the article
Listening the article
Toggle language selector
English (US)
English (British)
Generated with artificial intelligence.
This content was published on
August 19, 2026 – 10:32
The court made the ruling as it dismissed an appeal against repatriation from a young Afghan man. The judges in St Gallen carried out a reassessment of the situation in Afghanistan.
The landmark ruling said that while repatriations should remain restricted, some are now possible under certain favourable individual circumstances. This applies to the whole of Afghanistan.
In the most recent case, the refugee in question is young, in good health and belongs to the Pashtun majority ethnic group.
He also has professional experience and can rely on a family network in Kabul. The Swiss migration office had rejected his asylum application at the end of 2025 and ordered his removal.
More
More
Foreign Affairs
Swiss repatriation policy for Afghans has not been implemented
This content was published on
Jun 8, 2025
No rejected Afghan asylum seekers have yet been repatriated under the new practice adopted in April.
Read more: Swiss repatriation policy for Afghans has not been implemented
+ How we produce English news
Translated from French, reviewed by an English Department journalist.
Articles in this story