“It's like watching a train wreck in slow motion” said John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International's Director for Europe and Central Asia.
 
Soon after an agreement was reached between the European Union (EU) and Turkey, Amnesty International accused the latter of forcibly returning some thirty Afghan asylum-seekers despite them fearing Taliban attacks, without granting them access to an asylum procedure.
 
“Implementing the deal would risk refugees' lives from the word go” the human rights group said. Last week, the EU sealed a deal with Turkey as an answer to the refugee crisis. Turkey stands benefited from the deal as in return for halting refugee and migrants flows, it will receive financial and political rewards.
 
However, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Amnesty International and a number of other well renowned organizations have been strongly criticizing the agreement.
 
The Turkish foreign ministry was not immediately available for comment. When contacted by Amnesty International, the Turkish Directorate General of Migration Management acknowledged the return of 27 Afghans, but insisted that all were returned voluntarily and that none had requested asylum. 
 
This would not be the first time, though, that Turkey would raise suspicion on forcibly pushing back asylum- seekers. A December 2015 report by the Amnesty had claimed that refugees and asylum-seekers were apprehended at the western border, detained without access to legal advisors, and then returned to Syria and Iraq after being forced to sign “voluntary return” papers.
 
“This latest episode highlights the risks of returning asylum- seekers to Turkey – and the knock-on effects the deal is likely to have for refugees transiting through Turkey. It's like watching a train wreck in slow motion” commented John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International's Director for Europe and Central Asia.