Paso Canoas (Costa Rica) (AFP) - Marwa fled Afghanistan and the persecution of women under the Taliban regime. Deported by the United States, she is now being held in a migrant shelter in Costa Rica, saying she fears being sent back: "The Taliban will kill me," she told AFP.
Published : 31/03/2025 -
Afghan Marwa and her husband Asadi, deported from the United States, at a temporary reception center for migrants in Puntarenas, Costa Rica, on March 28, 2025
© Ezequiel BECERRA / AFP
Behind the fences of the Temporary Reception Centre for Migrants (Catem), near the border with Panama, the 27-year-old Afghan woman says her husband is also in danger and that there is no future in Afghanistan for her two-year-old daughter.
"If I go back there, I will die. The Taliban will kill me. I lost my father and my uncle. I don't want to lose my husband or my baby," she told an AFP team that, hidden outside the compound, in a place without police surveillance, was able to speak with several deportees.
In addition to Costa Rica, the United States has reached agreements with Panama, which has taken in 300 migrants from Asia, and El Salvador, which has placed 238 Venezuelans in its maximum security prison, alleging their membership in the Tren de Aragua gang, considered a "terrorist organization" by Washington.
"Death penalty"
Of the migrants expelled at the same time as Marwa, 74 have been repatriated to their country of origin, a dozen should soon be repatriated, but more than a hundred are in a grey area: they refuse to return to their country but no other, including Costa Rica, which has a long tradition of welcoming them, grants them asylum.
Behind the fences of the Temporary Reception Centre for Migrants (Catem), near the border with Panama, the 27-year-old Afghan woman says her husband is also in danger and that there is no future in Afghanistan for her two-year-old daughter.
"If I go back there, I will die. The Taliban will kill me. I lost my father and my uncle. I don't want to lose my husband or my baby," she told an AFP team that, hidden outside the compound, in a place without police surveillance, was able to speak with several deportees.
In addition to Costa Rica, the United States has reached agreements with Panama, which has taken in 300 migrants from Asia, and El Salvador, which has placed 238 Venezuelans in its maximum security prison, alleging their membership in the Tren de Aragua gang, considered a "terrorist organization" by Washington.
"Death penalty"
Of the migrants expelled at the same time as Marwa, 74 have been repatriated to their country of origin, a dozen should soon be repatriated, but more than a hundred are in a grey area: they refuse to return to their country but no other, including Costa Rica, which has a long tradition of welcoming them, grants them asylum.
Aerial view of the Temporary Reception Centre for Migrants (Catem) in Puntarenas, Costa Rica, on March 23, 2025 © Armando ACEVEDO / AFP
"We can't go back, but we can't stay here either. We don't know the culture, we don't speak Spanish. We don't have family in Canada, the United States or Europe," said Marwa, who covered her hair with a hijab.
She said her husband Mohammad, 31, sold building materials to American companies before the Taliban returned to power in 2021.
They then fled, first to Iran for two and a half years before going to Brazil from where they began the long march to the United States, notably through the dangerous Darien jungle, between Colombia and Panama.
"There are a lot of cartels on the way that have taken our money and tortured us physically and mentally," said Alireza Salimivir, a 35-year-old Iranian who went through a similar odyssey with his wife. They have been separated, she is being deported from the United States and Salimivir hopes to find her soon.
"We can't go back, but we can't stay here either. We don't know the culture, we don't speak Spanish. We don't have family in Canada, the United States or Europe," said Marwa, who covered her hair with a hijab.
She said her husband Mohammad, 31, sold building materials to American companies before the Taliban returned to power in 2021.
They then fled, first to Iran for two and a half years before going to Brazil from where they began the long march to the United States, notably through the dangerous Darien jungle, between Colombia and Panama.
"There are a lot of cartels on the way that have taken our money and tortured us physically and mentally," said Alireza Salimivir, a 35-year-old Iranian who went through a similar odyssey with his wife. They have been separated, she is being deported from the United States and Salimivir hopes to find her soon.
Russia's German Smirnov at the Temporary Reception Centre for Migrants (Catem) in Puntarenas, Costa Rica, on March 23, 2025 © Ezequiel BECERRA / AFP
For them, a return to Iran is not an option: "Because of our conversion from Islam to Christianity, they will inflict the death penalty on us," he says.
Deported with his wife and six-year-old child, German Smirnov, 36, fears that if he returns to Russia he will be "tortured" for denouncing anomalies as an observer during the 2024 elections. "I will be given no other choice but prison or go to war," he said.
"Accomplice"
All of them say they were not treated well by the American migration officers: "Like garbage," Smirnov said.
In Catem, 350 km south of San José, they say they are well fed, have access to phones but cannot go out despite having no criminal record. Their passports are withheld by the police.
For them, a return to Iran is not an option: "Because of our conversion from Islam to Christianity, they will inflict the death penalty on us," he says.
Deported with his wife and six-year-old child, German Smirnov, 36, fears that if he returns to Russia he will be "tortured" for denouncing anomalies as an observer during the 2024 elections. "I will be given no other choice but prison or go to war," he said.
"Accomplice"
All of them say they were not treated well by the American migration officers: "Like garbage," Smirnov said.
In Catem, 350 km south of San José, they say they are well fed, have access to phones but cannot go out despite having no criminal record. Their passports are withheld by the police.
Russian German Smirnov behind a fence at the Temporary Reception Centre for Migrants (Catem) in Puntarenas, Costa Rica, on March 23, 2025 © Ezequiel BECERRA / AFP
"There is a systematic pattern of human rights violations in a country that has always prided itself on defending them. This is a very serious setback for Costa Rica," said former diplomat Mauricio Herrera, who has submitted a habeas corpus in favor of the deportees so that they can be presented to a judge who will examine the legality of their placement.
Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves justified the agreement to receive the deportees from the United States as aid "to the powerful brother in the north".
"Costa Rica should not be complicit in the United States' flagrant violations," said Michael Garcia Bochenek of Human Rights Watch.
Marwa does not know what will happen, but categorically refuses to return to Afghanistan where she will be forced to wear the burka, without access to public space.
She wants even less of this future for her daughter. "Everything is closed there for women... schools, universities," she laments. "I'm a human being, I choose how I want to be," she says, pointing to the jeans she wears, before turning, hand in hand with her husband, to a more than uncertain future.
© 2025 AFP
"There is a systematic pattern of human rights violations in a country that has always prided itself on defending them. This is a very serious setback for Costa Rica," said former diplomat Mauricio Herrera, who has submitted a habeas corpus in favor of the deportees so that they can be presented to a judge who will examine the legality of their placement.
Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves justified the agreement to receive the deportees from the United States as aid "to the powerful brother in the north".
"Costa Rica should not be complicit in the United States' flagrant violations," said Michael Garcia Bochenek of Human Rights Watch.
Marwa does not know what will happen, but categorically refuses to return to Afghanistan where she will be forced to wear the burka, without access to public space.
She wants even less of this future for her daughter. "Everything is closed there for women... schools, universities," she laments. "I'm a human being, I choose how I want to be," she says, pointing to the jeans she wears, before turning, hand in hand with her husband, to a more than uncertain future.
© 2025 AFP
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