Afghanistan’s envoy to the UN in Geneva, Nasir Ahmad Andisha, called for a more robust international response to the Taliban’s growing repression, during his remarks at the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council on Monday.
Addressing the council, Andisha condemned the Taliban’s recent actions, including the banning of UN special rapporteurs from visiting Afghanistan and the implementation of harsh new “virtue and vice” laws. He asserted that the Taliban’s moves effectively ended any meaningful engagement with the UN human rights system, particularly as the regime tightens control under the leadership of the Kandahar faction.
“The new phase of engagement has to be different,” Andisha urged, arguing that the current situation, with no domestic accountability mechanisms, requires urgent international action. He stressed that the Human Rights Council must adopt what the UN’s special rapporteur previously referred to as an “all-tools approach” to address the escalating human rights violations in Afghanistan.
While acknowledging the report’s emphasis on a multi-layered approach to accountability, Andisha expressed disappointment that it did not go far enough. He called on the Council to establish an independent international investigative and accountability mechanism with sufficient financial and technical resources to ensure accountability for human rights abuses committed by the Taliban.
As Afghanistan faces increasing isolation and repression under the Taliban’s rule, Andisha’s remarks underscore the urgent need for international action to prevent further deterioration of human rights in the country.
