According to a report by Reuters, the administration of Donald Trump is planning to transfer a group of migrants, including Iranian nationals, to the Central African Republic, a country facing political instability, domestic violence, and widespread poverty.
Based on this report, which cited two lawyers and an informed official, two Iranian women are among those subject to this plan, both of whom would face the risk of torture and severe persecution if returned to Iran. One of these individuals has converted to Christianity, and the other has been identified as a pro-democracy activist.
These individuals had previously been detained in the United States and had applied for asylum, but by the ruling of an immigration judge, they had been granted a type of legal protection known as "withholding of removal," a status issued due to the high risk of persecution in the country of origin.
Nevertheless, within the framework of agreements known as "third-country deportation," the U.S. government now intends to transfer them to the Central African Republic, a measure that has previously been implemented in cooperation with certain other African nations.
Reuters states that the first flight under this plan could take place soon with approximately 20 migrants, and besides Iranians, nationals from Syria and Afghanistan are also among them. Additionally, a Turkish national is likely included in this group.
According to the report, the Central African Republic has recently reached an agreement with the United States to accept deported migrants. The U.S. government has defended this policy, but human rights organizations have warned against its dangers and the lack of transparency in the process of these transfers.
It is worth noting that this measure comes as a continuation of the Trump administration's stringent immigration policies and under circumstances where tensions between Washington and Tehran persist.
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