Life in Exile and Fear: Afghan Refugees in Turkey Victims of Discrimination and Rightlessness

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The situation of Afghan refugees in Turkey, particularly those without residence documents (Kimlik), has been reported as deeply concerning. They face the risk of arrest and deportation while being deprived of basic human rights such as education, healthcare, and shelter.

Local sources in several cities, including Istanbul, Van, Kayseri, and Bilecik, say that Afghan children without Kimlik have been unable to enrol in public schools, and their families, lacking medical insurance, face serious health challenges in emergencies.

In addition, reports have emerged of the widespread rejection of Afghan asylum applications by Turkey’s Directorate of Migration Management. Experts say these decisions are made without transparency or the right to appeal, leaving thousands of families at risk of deportation and legal uncertainty.

One of the major but less-discussed issues is the exploitation of undocumented Afghan labourers. Many of these workers are employed in construction, industrial workshops, and factories, performing hard and hazardous work for very low wages. According to local sources, employers have repeatedly withheld payment, and migrants, lacking Kimlik and fearing arrest, are unable to seek legal recourse.

An Afghan worker in Istanbul said: “We work twelve hours a day, but if they refuse to pay, there is nothing we can do. We have no documents, and no one hears our voices.”

The rise of anti-immigrant sentiment and discrimination in the housing market has also become a major problem. Many landlords refuse to rent homes to Afghan refugees, and in exceptional cases where they do, rents are unfairly inflated. With the start of the school year, this housing crisis has reached its peak for Afghan families.

At the same time, the inspection and control of Kimlik documents in cities and marketplaces have sharply increased, creating fear, anxiety, and severe restrictions on the movement of Afghan migrants.

Human rights activists have called on the international community to take action to protect Afghan refugees in Turkey and to urge the Turkish government to uphold its international obligations toward refugees.