Uzbekistan Won’t Grant Asylum to Afghan Refugees

Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied the information that the country is ready to open its borders for people who are still trying to leave Afghanistan as the country fell under Taliban rule. However, the transit corridor is an option, according to Uzbekistan’s foreign ministry. 

Currently, the Afghan-Uzbek border is closed and no one can pass through the Termez border crossing point. 

«We have no plans to open the Termez border crossing checkpoint in the near future. Any attempts to cross the border will be prevented in accordance with Uzbekistani legislation with no excuse for intruders,» the ministry said in an official statement. 

At the same time, during the last 12 days, Uzbekistan was involved in some humanitarian operations such as the evacuation of foreign citizens who arrived and left Uzbekistan by airlift solely. 

«The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially said that Uzbekistan doesn’t grant asylum for Afghan refugees while assisting them in transit with limited stay time in the country,» the agency said.

Uzbekistan even sent 150 refugees back to Afghanistan, citing the Taliban’s promises to not persecute them. 

On August 16 the Taliban movement toppled the Afghan Republic and claimed itself as a new ruling power in the country. The Taliban forces have closed all border crossing points to prevent people from leaving the country. 

According to the government of Uzbekistan, it can’t be considered as an asylum for those Afghans who collaborated with U.S. military authorities because the country is not a member of the 1951 Refugee Convention. Moreover, the current Uzbek legislation has no rules for granting refugee status.