Afghan Deportees To Panama Face Death Threats If Returned, Says Rights Group

The US-based organisation Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) has raised serious concerns over the safety of Afghan nationals deported from the United States to Panama, stating that they face the risk of death if returned to Afghanistan.

PHR conducted medical and legal evaluations in February of 27 individuals deported from the US to Panama, using the internationally recognised Istanbul Protocol to assess evidence of torture and persecution.

In findings published on Monday, PHR reported that several of the Afghan deportees had previously fled Taliban persecution or had converted from Islam to Christianity while in Iran—putting them at grave risk if repatriated to Afghanistan. The group also included human rights defenders, former military personnel, LGBTQ+ individuals, and political activists from countries including Afghanistan, Cameroon, China, Eritrea, Iran, and Russia.

The evaluations were carried out by four physicians and a psychologist. According to the report, the individuals exhibited psychological symptoms consistent with their accounts of torture, mistreatment, and persecution. Many displayed signs of acute stress disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and some had visible scars and injuries aligning with their testimonies.

Michele Heisler, Medical Director at PHR, said: “Most of the people we evaluated in Panama showed clear symptoms of acute stress disorder or PTSD consistent with their accounts of torture and ill-treatment. Some also showed scars and injuries consistent with what they reported.”

Heisler further noted that none of the individuals had been given an opportunity to explain to US or Panamanian authorities the reasons for fleeing their home countries or the specific threats they face if returned.