Afghanistan: International Community Must Reject Taliban's Violent And Authoritarian Rule, Say UN Experts
UN experts* today called on the international community to reject the Taliban's violent and authoritarian rule and resist any moves towards normalising the de facto authorities' regime, four years after the group seized power in Afghanistan.
'For four years the people of Afghanistan, especially women and girls, have endured a relentless and escalating assault on their fundamental rights and freedoms,' the experts said. 'Operating without legitimacy, the Taliban enforces an institutionalised system of gender oppression, crushes dissent, exacts reprisals, and muzzles independent media while showing outright contempt for human rights, equality and non-discrimination.'
In the past year, the Taliban has continued to impose so-called laws, edicts, and decrees while maintaining previous draconian restrictions on women's and girls' rights to education, freedom of movement, work, health, freedoms of expression and of association, and participation in cultural and public life.
'The Taliban's institutionalised system of gender discrimination and oppression is so severe that it amounts to the crime against humanity of persecution on grounds of gender,' the experts said, welcoming the recent arrest warrants for two senior Taliban leaders issued by the International Criminal Court. 'We support all efforts to hold those responsible to account.'
The experts also highlighted concerns about other, wide-ranging human rights violations, including a disturbing surge in public executions and corporal punishments, arbitrary arrest and detentions, extrajudicial executions, acts tantamount to enforced disappearances, torture and ill-treatment in detention, the obliteration of civic space and crackdown on human rights defenders, restrictions on the rights to freedom of religion or belief, increasing numbers of internally displaced persons, the targeting of ethnic and religious minorities, discrimination against LGBTQ+ persons, and violations committed on national security and counter-terrorism grounds.
'The situation in Afghanistan is dire but it must not be regarded as a lost cause. The international community must resist the narrative that the current situation under Taliban rule is inevitable or irreversible. Another future is possible,' they said.
The experts said that countering the Taliban's increasing repression requires an 'all-tools' approach. This approach should combine principled international advocacy and pressure with international accountability, including the establishment of an additional, complementary investigation mechanism with a comprehensive mandate. It should also include the codification of the crime of gender apartheid, strengthened support for civil society—especially women-led organisations—and increased funding for humanitarian assistance and realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Greater support and protection for Afghan refugees, internally displaced persons, and those in exile is also essential. 'This protection is particularly urgent as countries such as the Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan continue to return large numbers of Afghans, directly exposing them to the very persecution from which they fled,' the experts said.
'The people of Afghanistan, especially women and girls of all ages, must be actively involved in efforts to improve the situation in the country,' they said.
'We firmly believe that change in Afghanistan is best led by its people. But they cannot do it alone. International support – principled, focused, sustained, and rooted in solidarity – is essential,' the experts said. 'Every day without action strengthens the Taliban's oppressive grip. Standing side by side with the people of Afghanistan is both a moral imperative and a human rights responsibility. It is in the interest not only of the Afghan people, but the global community.'
*The experts:
Richard Bennett, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan;
Dorothy Estrada Tanck, Ivana Krstić, and Haina Lu, Working group on discrimination against women and girls;
Nahla Haidar, Chair of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Graeme Reid, Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity;
Alexandra Xanthaki, Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights;
Nazila Ghanea, Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief;
George Katrougalos, Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order;
Cecilia M. Bailliet, Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity;
Morris Tidball-Binz, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions;
Alice Jill Edwards, Special Rapporteur on Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment;
Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism;
Gabriella Citroni (Chair-Rapporteur), Grażyna Baranowska (Vice-Chair), Ana Lorena Delgadillo Pérez, Aua Baldé and Mohammed Al-Obaidi, Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances;
Ganna Yudkivska (Chair-Rapporteur), Working Group on Arbitrary Detention;
Margaret Satterthwaite, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers;
Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders;
Gina Romero, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association;
Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression;
Surya Deva, Special Rapporteur on the right to development;
Tlaleng Mofokeng, Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health;
Paula Gaviria Betancur, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons;
Siobhán Mullally, Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children;
Tomoya Obokata, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery;
Claudia Mahler, Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons;
Mai Sato, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran;
Carlos Duarte (Chair), Geneviève Savigny, Uche Ofodile (Vice Chair), Davit Hakobyan (Vice Chair), and Shalmali Guttal, Working Group on the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas;
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The experts also highlighted concerns about other, wide-ranging human rights violations, including a disturbing surge in public executions and corporal punishments, arbitrary arrest and detentions, extrajudicial executions, acts tantamount to enforced disappearances, torture and ill-treatment in detention, the obliteration of civic space and crackdown on human rights defenders, restrictions on the rights to freedom of religion or belief, increasing numbers of internally displaced persons, the targeting of ethnic and religious minorities, discrimination against LGBTQ+ persons, and violations committed on national security and counter-terrorism grounds. 'The situation in Afghanistan is dire but it must not be regarded as a lost cause. The international community must resist the narrative that the current situation under Taliban rule is inevitable or irreversible. Another future is possible,' they said. 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It is in the interest not only of the Afghan people, but the global community.' *The experts: Richard Bennett, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan; Dorothy Estrada Tanck, Ivana Krstić, and Haina Lu, Working group on discrimination against women and girls; Nahla Haidar, Chair of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Graeme Reid, Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; Alexandra Xanthaki, Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights; Nazila Ghanea, Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief; George Katrougalos, Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order; Cecilia M. Bailliet, Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity; Morris Tidball-Binz, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; Alice Jill Edwards, Special Rapporteur on Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment; Ben Saul, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism; Gabriella Citroni (Chair-Rapporteur), Grażyna Baranowska (Vice-Chair), Ana Lorena Delgadillo Pérez, Aua Baldé and Mohammed Al-Obaidi, Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances; Ganna Yudkivska (Chair-Rapporteur), Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; Margaret Satterthwaite, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers; Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; Gina Romero, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression; Surya Deva, Special Rapporteur on the right to development; Tlaleng Mofokeng, Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health; Paula Gaviria Betancur, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons; Siobhán Mullally, Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children; Tomoya Obokata, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery; Claudia Mahler, Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons; Mai Sato, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran; Carlos Duarte (Chair), Geneviève Savigny, Uche Ofodile (Vice Chair), Davit Hakobyan (Vice Chair), and Shalmali Guttal, Working Group on the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas;
