Yusril: Indonesia to Study Issues Facing Afghan Human Trafficking Victims
Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Legal Affairs, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, said the government was open to further studying the handling of Afghan nationals who had fallen victim to human trafficking syndicates.
During a meeting with Afghanistan’s ambassador in Jakarta on Thursday (22 October), he said that examining cases involving victims lured by promises of jobs in Australia or European countries was intended to support efforts to combat human trafficking.
“Immigration has data on Afghan nationals who have been deported and those still awaiting deportation. About 18 people are currently awaiting deportation,” Yusril said, as confirmed in Jakarta on Monday.
He said some of the nationals had entered on visit visas but later encountered immigration problems because they did not hold the appropriate visas or their sponsors rejected them after they arrived in Indonesia.
Yusril also pointed to the longstanding historical ties between Indonesia and Afghanistan, which date back to the early years of Indonesia’s independence. He expressed hope that peace in Afghanistan would endure and strengthen relations between the peoples of the two countries.
“We hope this peace will last forever for the people of Afghanistan, because our countries share a long history of relations,” he said.
Regarding the repatriation of Afghan nationals serving prison sentences in Indonesia, the minister said he was open to examining the cases further. Discussions on prisoner data, the possibility of repatriation and the granting of pardons would require inter-agency coordination and compliance with Indonesian law, he said.
Afghanistan’s ambassador, Mawlawi Sadullah Baloch, asked for confirmed data on Afghan nationals serving criminal sentences in Indonesia. Afghanistan proposed further discussions on whether prisoners could serve the remainder of their sentences in their home country.
Mawlawi also said about 57 Afghan traders visited Indonesia for a trade exhibition from 14 to 18 October 2026. The visit opened the way to explore contracts with Indonesian businesses, particularly for direct imports of palm oil and paper without using intermediary countries, he said.
He added that Afghanistan was strategically positioned as a trade route to Central Asian countries, including Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan.
During the meeting, the ambassador also described the security situation in Afghanistan as increasingly stable. He outlined efforts to combat narcotics and developments in the country’s industrial sector, saying that more than 6,000 factories had been inaugurated over the past five years as security improved and investment increased.
“Alhamdulillah, security is generally assured and there are no significant problems there,” Mawlawi said.
With peace and stability, many people were investing in and returning to Afghanistan, he said, expressing hope that the country would continue on a positive path.
The meeting was expected to strengthen diplomatic communication and create opportunities for broader cooperation between Indonesia and Afghanistan in law, immigration, corrections and trade.