End the Deportation of Abed* & Friends and Appeal Against this Racist Mass Deportation of Asylum Seekers.
On June 30, 2025, at least 15 asylum seekers from Afghanistan were notified that their applications had been rejected. This mass rejection appears to signal a de facto reclassification of Afghanistan as a “safe” country for the first time since its reoccupation by Taliban forces. It marks a further tightening of the asylum process, in line with the policies of the Republic of Cyprus, whose government takes pride in its harsh deportation record and treats condemnation by the European Court of Human Rights as a badge of honour.
Abed (*a pseudonym, for safety reasons) is a fellow worker in Cyprus and an active member of the solidarity union IWW (Industrial Workers of the World), where he has been organising for over a year. While struggling to survive himself, Abed has consistently stood up for the rights of workers from many countries, including Cyprus. He also has a history of defending workers’ rights in Afghanistan and has been targeted by the Taliban, one of the key reasons he applied for asylum after the Taliban’s return to power. His family continues to alert him to the real and immediate danger he would face if deported.
In response to this threat, Abed has not only decided to fight for his own right to remain, but has also reached out to other Afghans in Cyprus facing this racist mass deportation. Together, they are preparing to file appeals by the deadline of the end of July 2025. Each appeal costs between €1,000 and €2,000. While this is a staggering amount, the good news is that it doesn’t have to be paid in full upfront, giving them a window of time to seek legal aid and gather the necessary funds.
Right now, however, they must pay a portion of these costs to initiate the appeal process – before the end of July – or risk immediate deportation.
We believe there is a strong chance Abed and his fellow asylum seekers can win their appeals. Until now, Afghan nationals have generally been granted asylum in Cyprus, making this new wave of rejections unprecedented. It appears to be a test case, to see if there will be any resistance. We also believe the state may be hoping to retain the appearance of legality by granting asylum only to those who appeal, while quietly deporting those who cannot afford to.
In the face of state violence and systemic injustice, our only real source of protection is one another. That’s why IWW Cyprus is organising this fundraiser: to help begin to cover the legal costs of these urgent appeals and give Abed and friends a chance. In this case, the fight against injustice is literally a matter of life and death. Every contribution helps while we continue to pursue all available avenues of support.
To pledge your support, you can donate here, or send your donation through Revolut (with the message “Abed”) to 99748830
