austria Resumes Afghan Deportations, First Return As 2021
Vienna, Austria – October 21, 2025 – austria deported an Afghan national to Kabul Tuesday, marking the first such return since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021. the move, announced by Chancellor Christian Stocker of the Austrian People’s Party via *X* (formerly Twitter), signals a hardening stance on immigration enforcement.
“This morning, a man convicted of serious crimes was deported to Kabul – the first deportation to Afghanistan since 2021,” Stocker wrote. He added, “Austria is thus sending a clear message: zero tolerance for anyone who has forfeited their right to remain by committing criminal offences.”
The deportation comes as the Austrian government, a three-party centrist coalition that took office in March following a parliamentary election win by the far-right Freedom Party (FPO), prioritizes combating illegal immigration. The FPO currently leads in opinion polls.
Austria previously became the first European Union country to deport a Syrian national back to Syria in July,despite objections from human rights organizations. The government has indicated that initial deportations to Afghanistan will focus on individuals with criminal convictions.
Amnesty International condemned the deportation, stating, “Afghanistan remains one of the most perilous countries in the world…Anyone who deports people to a state that commits crimes against its own people is deliberately denying protection and breaking the law.”
Syria and Afghanistan are the primary countries of origin for asylum seekers in Austria, according to government data.Interior Minister Gerhard Karner is reportedly preparing further deportations.
