Dear supporters,

The situation on the ground has taken a terrifying turn.

Forced deportations of Afghan refugees from Pakistan are now in full swing. Every day, we hear new stories of families narrowly escaping arrest—or not escaping at all. One woman, along with her children, barely managed to evade the police. Her husband wasn’t so lucky—he was deported to Afghanistan, and we still don’t know what’s happened to him. She is now in hiding.

Another family was saved only because a local shopkeeper warned them just in time. Their children still had valid visas—but the parents' visas had expired, and they were being hunted. They fled just as the police arrived. They're now crammed into a filthy hiding place—no blankets, no proper beds, barely a working toilet.

Even those who already have visas for Brazil are being arrested and detained unless large bribes are paid. One family was taken to a deportation camp despite holding valid Brazilian visas. They were only released after a significant amount of money changed hands. And they are not able to leave Pakistan despite holding already Brazilian visas because the Pakistani government has been holding back on the issuance of exit permits

As this continues, the physical and mental toll on our group is growing. We’re seeing:

• Pregnant women suffering from anaemia and malnutrition
• Women with untreated injuries from Taliban imprisonment
• Women in need of urgent surgery, now too afraid to see a doctor
• Severe stress-related illnesses: chest pain, stomach ulcers, arm numbness
• No access to medical care, even for those who dare to seek it

Even our trusted doctor is now under pressure.

One of us compared the current situation to stories told by their grandmother about Jews in Europe during WWII—squeezed into illegality, denied refuge, deported back into the hands of those who sought to destroy them. That is what is happening now. People who fled for their lives are being forced back to face torture, prison, or execution.

We recently received photos of a man who was deported—he was the cousin of one of our WHRD's and a former police officer under the Afghan Republic. He was executed by a Taliban firing squad.

💔 This is the devastating reality we’re living through.

We had hoped to raise funds for flights and resettlement. But now, we need to keep people alive long enough to make that journey even possible. That means immediate support for:

• Emergency shelter
• Medical care and supplies
• Baby formula and vitamin supplements

We need your help—now more than ever.

Every donation helps us protect those in hiding. Every act of solidarity keeps hope alive.

 💸 Donations:

 Name: HeartWork Stichting

https://heartwork.earth/peacework/

We urge the Western media to report on what is happening. The silence is deadly. These are women and families who put their lives on the line for human rights, education, freedom. And now they are being abandoned.

We also urge you to write to your governments—especially in Brazil, France, Spain, and Italy—to call for expedited humanitarian visa procedures. There are lives that could be saved today, if only the doors were opened. Please see below a template that you can send to your 

Please share this update widely and support however you can. Thank you for standing with us.

Nadja & team

______

Message template:

Subject: Urgent appeal: expedite humanitarian visas for Afghan Women and Human Rights Defenders

Dear [Minister / Ambassador / Representative],

I am writing to urge our government to take immediate action to protect Afghan women and human rights defenders currently stranded in Pakistan, where they face escalating threats of forced deportation back to Afghanistan.

Many of these individuals—journalists, educators, activists, and former government employees—fled Taliban persecution and have been waiting for resettlement for months. Due to Pakistan’s refusal to extend their visas, they are now living in hiding, without access to food, shelter, or medical care. Arrests and deportations are accelerating. Some who have been returned have already been tortured or executed.

This is a humanitarian emergency. I strongly urge you to:

• Expedite the issuance of humanitarian visas for vulnerable Afghans, particularly women, children, and those at risk due to their work defending human rights;
• Prioritize cases already supported by civil societies, especially those with documented persecution histories.

These women believed in the values of human rights, democracy, and peace—values our country has long championed. Please do not let them be abandoned now.

Sincerely,
 [Your Name]
 [Your City/Country]