680 Afghan refugees have no right to protection in Belgium

In March, 680 Afghan refugees were told that they were not entitled to protection in Belgium. They received a refusal decision and an order to leave the country. This is what the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons has decided, VRT reports.

The situation has changed since the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan in August, according to the General Commission. "There is still violence in the country, but the violence is not random anymore. Not all people are targeted by the Taliban, only specific profiles are targeted", Commissioner General Dirk Van Den Bulck told the Flemish public broadcaster. 

"The asylum seekers of the hundreds of dossiers that had been pending were summoned in February. They were heard and in March many of them received a refusal decision," Van Den Bulck said. 

Only those Afghan asylum seekers who were at personal risk of torture or persecution were granted asylum, such as human rights defenders, journalists and people with a sexual orientation that is not tolerated in the Afghanistan. 

Only those Afghan asylum seekers who were at personal risk of torture or persecution were granted asylum, such as human rights defenders, journalists and people with a sexual orientation that is not tolerated in Afghanistan. 

The refused Afghan asylum dossiers represent a third of the total number of decisions in March. In March, the number of approved dossiers was 28.5 percent, compared to 44.7 percent in February.

(KOR)

Refugees waiting outside at the Fedasil registration center for asylum seekers in Brussels, Belgium in December 2021 © BELGA PHOTO VIRGINIE LEFOUR