The UK government secretly relocated thousands of Afghans after a major data leak in 2022—shielding the entire operation with a super injunction that banned even mentioning its existence until now.

In 2022, a British Ministry of Defence official inadvertently exposed the personal details of 19,000 Afghan citizens by copying them into a mass email without using blind carbon copy (BCC). Most of the recipients were applicants under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), which aims to resettle Afghans who helped British forces during the war in Afghanistan.

Defence sources estimated that with family members included, as many as 100,000 individuals were endangered by the breach. The Taliban was reported to have obtained a copy of the leaked email shortly after it was sent.

Super injunction blocked media and Parliament

In response, the then-Conservative government secured a rare “super injunction” from the High Court. This legal order not only barred reporting on the case but also prohibited disclosing the existence of the injunction itself—a move typically reserved for national security concerns.

As a result, both the press and members of Parliament were prevented from informing the public or debating the implications of the secret resettlement programme, even as flights carrying Afghan refugees landed quietly in Britain.

4,500 secretly relocated, but many still in danger

Approximately 4,500 Afghans were airlifted and resettled in the UK through the classified operation. However, thousands remain in hiding across Afghanistan and neighbouring countries, unaware of the status of their applications or whether they are still eligible for help.

Some of those affected by the breach are now preparing legal action against the UK government.

New government lifts gag order

The court order was lifted in July 2025, following a change in government. Labour’s new Defence Secretary, John Healey, acknowledged the secrecy, stating, “You cannot have democracy with super injunctions in place.”

Healey emphasised the need for transparency and pledged to accelerate efforts to process the remaining applicants, adding that "too many Afghans who served alongside British troops have been left behind for far too long."

Questions of accountability and press freedom

The revelations have ignited debate about government overreach, press censorship, and the limits of secrecy in a democratic society. Critics argue that while national security concerns may justify temporary confidentiality, hiding the existence of the programme for nearly two years undermined public trust and parliamentary oversight.

The UK’s handling of the data breach and its aftermath is now under scrutiny, with calls for an independent inquiry and greater protections for whistle-blowers and vulnerable migrants.