Her work for Swiss non-governmental organizations endangered the life of an Afghan woman. But she can’t count on help from the federal government. The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) has rejected her application for a humanitarian visa, the “Tages-Anzeiger” reports.
The woman (46), whom the ‘Tages-Anzeiger’ calls her by the fictitious name Malalai H. for protection, worked in Afghanistan until April 2022 for the Swiss Womanity Foundation based in Lancy GE. For example, she organized programming and English classes for young women, the newspaper reports. She used to work for the Hagar International Foundation in Zug and ran a home for victims of human trafficking.
Death threats against her and her family
H. was targeted by the Taliban for her commitment to Swiss NGOs. The militant Islamists have issued a sort of arrest warrant against the mother of four children for working for “foreign organizations”. As Pierre Tami, founder of Hagar International and former Swiss Honorary Consul in Cambodia, told the Tages-Anzeiger, his former employee is said to have received several phone calls and letters threatening her and her family with death.
After the Taliban came to power in the summer of 2021, it became too dangerous for H. and she wants to leave Afghanistan. The Taliban have searched her home several times. Former Honorary Consul Tami personally asked Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis (61) for help. H. finally applies for a humanitarian visa.
The federal government does not see itself as responsible
However, the State Secretariat for Migration rejects this. From the federal government’s point of view, H. the Afghan woman is not in immediate danger. In addition, according to the SEM, there is no “close relationship” with Switzerland, a prerequisite for granting a humanitarian visa, as reported by the “Tages-Anzeiger”. For the SEM, this is only the case if someone works for a Swiss organization that receives money from the federal government. The NGOs H. worked for were supported by the canton and the city of Geneva, but not by the federal government.
This is causing irritation in Geneva. Geneva Green National Councilor Nicolas Walder (56) sees the federal government as a clear responsibility. In an initiative, he calls on Switzerland to also help people who work for organizations supported by cantons or municipalities.
H. also did not just accept the negative decision of the SEM. She has appealed to the Federal Administrative Court. A verdict is still pending. (lha)