Afghans Seek Compensation from UK After Major Data Breach

British media have reported that nearly 1,000 Afghan citizens have taken the first formal legal step to file a complaint against the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) over the disclosure and mismanagement of their personal data.

According to the reports, the law firm Barings, which is handling the cases, has sent a “pre-action letter” to the Ministry of Defence and is seeking £50,000 in compensation for each client.

The MoD has been sent a “letter before action” in a case expected to test new legal ground over the rights of data breach victims, Robert Whitehead, owner of Manchester-based law firm Barings, told British media.

Ruhullah Sakhi Zada, a legal expert, told : “Any form of mistreatment of such individuals is unacceptable anywhere in the world, and all countries and human rights institutions must defend their rights.”

This legal action marks the latest development in an unprecedented incident in which the UK Ministry of Defence accidentally disclosed personal details of Afghans who had applied for relocation to the UK.

The leaked database reportedly contained personal information of 25,000 Afghan applicants and their family members, as well as details of some British intelligence (MI6) personnel and special forces members.

Ahmad Khan Andar, a military analyst, said: “Not only in the UK, but in neighboring countries, across the region, and globally, Afghans are facing serious challenges.”

Previously, the UK government launched a confidential resettlement program for Afghans affected by the data breach, known as the Afghan Response Route (ARR). Under this scheme, 7,355 people have been relocated to the UK or are in the process of being relocated.

However, the program was closed to new applicants in July, including other victims of the data breach.