The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Human Rights Watch has called on U.S. authorities to release the full autopsy report and conduct a transparent investigation into the death of Mohammad Nazeer Paktiawal, an Afghan asylum seeker who died in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The rights organization said Paktiawal, a 41-year-old father
of six who had worked alongside the U.S. military in Afghanistan, died on March
14, 2026, less than 24 hours after being detained by ICE in Texas. His death
certificate was released 103 days later, on June 25, 2026.
Human Rights Watch criticized ICE for describing Paktiawal
as a "criminal illegal alien" following his death, saying he had not
been convicted of any crimes and had legally entered the United States under
humanitarian parole after years of supporting U.S. military operations in
Afghanistan. The organization also noted that his asylum application remained
pending after the U.S. administration suspended processing Afghan asylum claims
in November 2025.
According to Human Rights Watch, Paktiawal was arrested
outside his home on March 13, 2026, while preparing to take his children to
school. The organization cited his family as saying that he relied on an
inhaler that his wife tried to provide before his detention. ICE said he later
reported shortness of breath and chest pain and was transferred to a hospital,
where he died the following day.
The organization said Paktiawal's death came amid a sharp
rise in deaths in ICE custody, adding that 54 people died while in ICE
detention between January 2025 and June 24, 2026. It also accused ICE of
failing to promptly disclose information about deaths in custody and the
medical care detainees received.
Human Rights Watch said the ruling that Paktiawal's death
was accidental had raised further questions and criticized U.S. authorities for
withholding additional information despite repeated requests from his family,
advocacy groups, and members of Congress. The organization urged authorities to
release the full autopsy report, describing it as an important step toward
transparency and accountability.
