KABUL - A petition seeking an end to the deportation of Afghan nationals has been handed over to Finnish Interior Minister Kai Mykkänen.
Signed by about 18,000 individuals, the petition was submitted by the Finnish branch of Amnesty International. It urges Finland to stop deportations to Afghanistan.
Outside the ministry in Helsinki, hundreds of people protested against Finland’s repatriation policies regarding Afghanistan, according to international media reports.
The Finnish government was asked not to send rejected asylum seekers to Afghanistan until the war-hit country ensured their safety and respect for human rights.
Last year, Finnish police carried out 556 deportations. A total of 2,600 people were repatriated that year, the human rights group said.(Pajhwok)