Switzerland says some Afghan refugees can be returned under new ruling: Report

Afghan refugees in Switzerland can again be returned to Afghanistan in certain cases, after the Swiss Federal Administrative Court ruled that deportations may be possible under "favorable individual circumstances."

The court made the ruling while dismissing an appeal by a young Afghan man against his removal, according to a Wednesday report by SWI, a Swiss news outlet.

Judges in the city of St. Gallen reassessed the security and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan before reaching their decision.

The court said returns should remain restricted, but concluded that deportations could now be allowed in some cases involving people with favourable personal circumstances. The ruling applies across Afghanistan.

The case involved a young, healthy Afghan man from the Pashtun ethnic majority. He has professional experience and can reportedly rely on a family network in the capital Kabul.

Switzerland's migration office rejected his asylum application at the end of 2025 and ordered him to leave the country.

The ruling marks a change in Switzerland's approach to returns to Afghanistan, where authorities have previously faced significant concerns over the conditions facing people sent back.