A conference titled “Afghanistan Is Not Safe” was held in Munich, Germany, with the participation of civil society activists, journalists, and representatives of social organizations. Participants highlighted the political and economic crises in Afghanistan, ongoing human rights violations, and the uncertain status of the country’s asylum seekers in Pakistan and Germany. Speakers warned that the continued uncertainty facing migrants and the silence of the international community not only worsens the situation for the people of Afghanistan but also threatens the prospects of freedom, equality, and justice in the country.
Several civil society activists, journalists, and representatives of social institutions held a conference titled “Afghanistan Is Not Safe” in Munich, Germany, on Saturday, 8 November 2025. The event was organized in cooperation with the Bavarian Refugee Council, Bellevue di Monaco, Your Rights Matter, the Georg von Vollmar Academy, Ein Herz für Afghanistan, and the Munich Refugee Council. Its goal was to restore attention to the situation in Afghanistan and to Afghanistan’s migrants in Pakistan and Germany.
Speakers at the conference underscored the need to support migrants from Afghanistan, address the political and economic crises in the country, and uphold human rights. They warned that migrants and citizens of Afghanistan are facing neglect and uncertainty.
Stefan Dünwald, a representative of Bellevue di Monaco, spoke about the overall situation in Afghanistan, saying: “Media and public opinion in Germany mostly focus on topics such as the Taliban and the oppression of women, but the economic crises, water shortages, and the people’s everyday hardships receive far less attention.” He added that a detailed assessment of the Taliban’s conduct in cities and rural areas is essential to understanding the realities faced by the population.
Thomas Ruttig, former co-director of the Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN), described Afghanistan’s political and security landscape as fragile. He said that the German government prioritises deportation plans over human rights in its political engagement with the Taliban, a stance he described as conscienceless.
Referring to the restrictions on girls’ and women’s education, Ruttig emphasized that employment opportunities are severely limited and women’s social presence has been almost eliminated. He stated that the future of Afghanistan is unimaginable without the active participation of women and genuine international attention to human rights, and that such restrictions carry wide-ranging economic and social consequences.
Eva Bayer, an expert with Kabul Luftbrücke, addressed the situation of migrants from Afghanistan, saying: “Individuals whose admission had already been approved by the German government but whose transfer process has been halted are now stuck in uncertainty. Some of them have been detained by Pakistani authorities and returned to Afghanistan. The German government’s behavior appears contradictory and requires greater transparency.”
The expert also underscored the need for transparency and legal protection for migrants from Afghanistan, saying that the international community and European governments must ensure that the promises made to the people of Afghanistan are fulfilled so they can live in safety. She added that the suspension of admission programs and the continued deportations of asylum seekers not only deepen the crisis facing migrants but also send a message of despair to the entire population of Afghanistan and to civil society activists inside and outside the country.
Sa’adat Amiri, from the organization Ein Herz für Afghanistan, emphasized the prospect of hope and resilience among the people of Afghanistan, saying: “Despite the crises and restrictions, the hope for freedom, equality, and justice remains alive. Supporting schools, education, and small volunteer groups can play an enlightening and liberating role in the future.” He called on the international community and governments, especially Germany, to focus on human values and human rights and to ensure that these values are not confined by borders, language, or culture.
At the conclusion of the conference, participants stressed the need to maintain international attention on the crisis in Afghanistan and to support the people and migrants of the country. They warned that the uncertainty facing migrants and the silence of the world pose a serious threat to hope and freedom in Afghanistan.
These concerns come at a time when hundreds of asylum seekers whose admission had been approved by the German government remain in limbo in Pakistan, facing the risk of forced deportation and extortion by Pakistani police. Previously, Pakistani police raided the shelters of these asylum seekers, detaining some of them and returning them to Afghanistan. The asylum seekers have repeatedly complained of severe psychological distress and uncertainty during their stay in Pakistan.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
«افغانستان امن نیست»؛ نهادهای مدنی مونیخ خواهان رسیدهگی به وضعیت پناهجویان شدند
