Amnesty International in a statement on Tuesday welcomed the recent report by the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan but stressed the urgent need for a coordinated international effort to address the Taliban’s “institutionalized system of discrimination, segregation, disrespect for human dignity, and exclusion of women and girls.”
In a statement released on Tuesday, the organization condemned the Taliban’s actions, which it argues may constitute crimes against humanity through gender persecution. Despite this, Amnesty International noted that efforts to hold the Taliban accountable have been insufficient.
“For over 1,000 days, two million girls have been barred from education, and dozens of women protesters have been disappeared, arbitrarily detained, and tortured,” the statement read.
The organization highlighted the severe mental health issues and economic disempowerment faced by women in Afghanistan. It detailed a range of human rights violations by the Taliban, including extrajudicial killings, torture, public corporal punishment, arbitrary arrests, unlawful detentions, enforced disappearances, and a crackdown on media professionals, journalists, activists, and human rights defenders.
Amnesty International also pointed to the continued attacks by the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP) on Shia and Hazara communities, which have resulted in numerous casualties.
“Afghanistan has a longstanding issue of impunity for crimes under international law, committed by the Taliban and other groups in various conflicts,” the organization stated.
Expressing grave concern, Amnesty International noted the absence of a dedicated international mechanism to collect and preserve evidence of serious violations in Afghanistan for prosecuting crimes under international law. “We call on the U.N. Human Rights Council to establish such a body at its next session through a resolution on Afghanistan,” the organization urged.
