INTERNATIONAL — June 22, 2026
UN Rapporteur Calls Taliban Invitation to Brussels an Insult to Afghans
The European Commission scheduled the technical discussions for June 22-23 to address readmission of Afghans without EU residency rights, with Belgium reviewing visa requests from five Taliban delegation members.
The Ehtebar Desk — originates with Amu TV — 2 min read
Richard Bennett, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, said the European Commission's invitation of Taliban representatives to Brussels for talks on Afghan migrant deportations amounts to an insult to Afghans, especially women.
Bennett endorsed a statement by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk expressing deep regret over new EU rules that permit rapid returns of migrants. He stressed that Afghans must not be sent back to unsafe conditions.
The European Commission invited Taliban officials to technical discussions in Brussels on June 22-23 focused on the return and readmission of Afghans who lack residency rights in the EU. Human rights groups have criticized the move, warning it could legitimize the Taliban.
Belgium received special visa requests from five members of a Taliban delegation for the meeting, which remain under security review. The European Commission stated that any deportations to Afghanistan would involve only individuals considered security threats and that the talks do not constitute recognition of the Taliban.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot has voiced opposition to inviting the Taliban to Brussels.
Read the original reporting at Amu TV →
Reliability assessment
Single source provides direct, on-record attributions from named public figures including UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett, UN High Commissioner Volker Türk, a Belgian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, and references to Reuters reporting with specific details on dates, participants, and statements.
The source language mixes facts with framing or advocacy wording. Amu TV: "insult to Afghans, especially women" and "legitimizing the Taliban and endangering Afghan migrants" – these phrases frame the EU invitation with strong negative moral judgment and assume harmful outcomes without presenting counterarguments.
Independent web corroboration
An independent web search turned up no separate corroborating reports. Treat the account as single-sourced until more outlets pick it up.
Across the newsrooms
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Amu TV
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International — Taliban, European Union, Richard Bennett, Volker Türk, Afghan migrants
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