“Stop deporting people to a country that isn’t safe”, was the message as hundreds of people from all walks of life gathered in central Stockholm today, to highlight Sweden’s Day of the Refugees and the way Swedish authorities keep persisting in deporting young people to Afghanistan.

Lawyer Emilie Hillert was one of the speakers. “It’s clear that implementation of current policies is perilous, and fails to guarantee safe legal procedures for those seeking protection here,” she explained.

It’s been two years since Swedish government officials took a turn towards stricter policies for granting refugee status to asylum seekers. A range of civil society organizations, including faith-based organizations, backed the event, taking a stand for more humane refugee policies.

Full gallery: Sweden, Refugee Day 2017