A group of Afghan women protesters issued a call for widespread demonstrations against the Taliban, rallying under the slogan “We Will Not Remain Silent.”
The women assert that, over the past three years, women, vulnerable ethnic groups, and religious minorities in Afghanistan have been subjected to systematic “oppression, cruelty, and injustice” at the hands of the Taliban.
“The Taliban have committed not only war crimes, targeted killings of former military personnel and government employees, forced displacements, and widespread violations of fundamental rights but have also deliberately harassed, assaulted, and even sexually violated protesting women,” the statement reads. “These heinous crimes must not go unpunished, and those responsible must be held accountable in a court of law.”
The protesters also accused the “self-proclaimed Taliban government” of failing to uphold its commitments to the international community, claiming that instead of severing ties with other terrorist organizations, the Taliban have strengthened these relationships, turning Afghanistan into a “safe haven for international terrorists” and bringing the country closer to becoming a significant threat to the region and the world.
The women’s group urged all Afghan citizens, especially women both inside and outside the country, to use whatever means available—even if only individually—to raise their voices against the “misogynistic and illegitimate Taliban regime” and to demand that Taliban leaders be arrested and tried at the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
This call for action comes as Afghan civil society and human rights activists worldwide have also called for mass protests against the Taliban on August 15, the anniversary of the group’s return to power. These activists have labeled the Taliban’s rule as an “apartheid regime” and have urged the United Nations to formally recognize it as such.
Since the Taliban’s takeover on August 15, 2021, no country has officially recognized their government. In the meantime, the Taliban have systematically stripped women and girls of their basic rights, imposing severe restrictions on many aspects of their lives. Girls above the sixth grade have been banned from continuing their education, and universities have been closed to female students.
