On Wednesday, Human Rights Watch accused Emirati authorities of unlawfully keeping 2,700 Afghan refugees without resettlement for almost 15 months.

A Human Rights Watch (HRW) investigation found that many Afghans in UAE Humanitarian City are depressed, have no legal representation, and have poor educational services for their children.

“Living circumstances have also worsened dramatically, with inmates citing overcrowding, depreciation of infrastructure, and bug infestations,” the Abu Dhabi facility report added.

A UAE official told Reuters that the UAE is working with the US and other foreign partners to relocate surviving evacuees following the original arrangement. The official did not address the Afghan detention claim.

“We appreciate frustrations and this has taken longer than expected,” the official added.

The UAE official said evacuees had gotten high-quality accommodation, sanitation, health, counseling, education, and food.

Human Rights Watch claimed the UAE interior and foreign affairs ministries had ignored its demands for comment.

The U.S. State Department agency that relocates Afghans notified the rights organization in a letter that the U.S. commitment to resettling qualified Afghans, including those in UAE Humanitarian City, is “enduring,” the report stated.

The tumultuous U.S. exit from Afghanistan concluded 20 years of war. Private evacuation companies and the Emirati military transported thousands of Afghans into the UAE. Once the U.S. left, private organizations hired evacuation flights.

Several evacuees were resettled in the US, Canada, and other nations after living in Emirates Humanitarian City and Tasameem Workers City converted residential complexes.

Yet, between 2,500 and 2,700 Afghans did not qualify for resettlement and remained in “arbitrary detention” in January, according to HRW.

After the Taliban took over Kabul in August 2021, the UAE repatriated 87% of more than 17,000 evacuees, according to an official.

“Emirati authorities have held thousands of Afghan asylum seekers locked up for over 15 months in tight, terrible circumstances with little chance of progress on their claims,” said Human Rights Watch’s UAE researcher Joey Shea.

The rights organization questioned 16 Afghans late last year who reported security guards or minders watched them on medical trips and their lone shopping mall excursions.

The study called UAE detention of asylum seekers and refugees “arbitrary” because they violate international law and U.N. rules.

UAE does not sign the UN Refugee Convention.

Human Rights Watch urged the UAE to release the Afghans immediately, enable them “fair and tailored” procedures to verify their refugee status and protection needs, and allow them to live where they wish until their cases are settled.

The group encouraged the State Department to utilize its influence to free the Afghans and expedite asylum and humanitarian parole petitions.

The US relocated around 88,000 Afghans evacuated during and after the army pullout. Nonetheless, thousands of U.S. government employees remain in Afghanistan awaiting special immigration visa procedures.