A coalition of 107 organizations, including Human Rights Watch, has urged the United Nations Human Rights Council to establish an independent investigative mechanism for Afghanistan to address what they describe as widespread impunity for grave crimes committed under Taliban rule.
In a joint letter released Wednesday, the groups said the Taliban’s ongoing crackdown on human rights — particularly against women and girls — requires urgent international accountability. Human Rights Watch has classified the Taliban’s actions as gender persecution, which it says amounts to a crime against humanity. United Nations experts have also referred to the situation as “gender apartheid.”
“The Taliban’s systematic repression is entering its fifth year, and the world has yet to take the meaningful steps needed to hold them accountable,” the groups said. “The UN must act where it has long failed.”
The organizations have called for the creation of a dedicated investigative body modeled after mechanisms already in place for countries such as Syria and Myanmar. Such a body would be tasked with collecting and preserving evidence, identifying suspects, and preparing case files to support future prosecutions in national or international courts.
The proposed mechanism would complement the existing UN special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, whose role focuses on monitoring abuses, supporting civil society, and advocating for victims.
UN experts and rights groups have repeatedly warned that the Taliban’s escalating repression — including arbitrary punishments and violent reprisals — is enabled by a lack of international action. Earlier this year, the UN’s independent expert on Afghanistan said the global community’s failure to act had “emboldened” the Taliban.
Despite some member states citing concerns over cost and scope, the letter argues that cost-effective options are available and support for the initiative is growing. In March, a cross-regional bloc of countries endorsed the proposal, and earlier this month, 24 UN human rights experts joined the call.
The European Union, which serves as the “penholder” on Afghanistan at the Human Rights Council, was urged to introduce a resolution establishing the mechanism.
“By putting forward this resolution, the EU has a chance to demonstrate principled leadership and advance the prospect of justice for decades of egregious crimes in Afghanistan,” the statement said. “It shouldn’t miss it.
