The Austrian government has returned an Afghan citizen to the country for the first time since the Islamic Emirate came to power in 2021. According to Austrian media reports, the 31-year-old man was transferred to Kabul via Istanbul this morning, accompanied by Austrian police. He had previously been convicted of rape and aggravated assault and spent four years in an Austrian prison.
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“We promised to return convicted criminals to Afghanistan and now we have implemented this process,” said Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner. More action is on the way.”
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Austrian Prime Minister Christine Stocker also stressed that her country will pursue a “zero tolerance” policy towards criminals who have lost their asylum rights by committing crimes.
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To facilitate the return, a delegation from Austria traveled to Kabul earlier this year to hold talks with Islamic Emirate officials, and in September, representatives of the Islamic Emirate traveled to Vienna to further coordinate the process.
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About 30 other Afghans are reportedly on the repatriation list.
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Experts say Austria’s recent decision is part of its new policy on returning criminal asylum seekers, which has sparked widespread reactions inside and outside Austria.