A people’s tribunal made up of Afghan civil groups, international jurists, prosecutors, and victims will open public hearings in Madrid on Wednesday to symbolically try Taliban leaders for alleged crimes against humanity, including the systematic repression of women and girls in Afghanistan.
Organizers said dozens of Afghan and international participants — including prosecutors, judges, human rights defenders, and victims — have gathered in Madrid for the opening of the tribunal, which will hold several days of hearings. Taliban leaders are being tried in absentia for what organizers describe as “widespread and systematic human rights violations” committed since their return to power in 2021.
The tribunal — part of the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal (PPT) — will examine evidence and testimonies related to gender persecution, arbitrary detentions, torture, and suppression of civil society under Taliban rule.
The PPT is an international opinion tribunal founded in Bologna, Italy, in 1979 within the framework of the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Peoples (1976). Created by Italian jurist and politician Lelio Basso, it evolved from the Russell Tribunals on the Vietnam War (1966–67) and on Latin American dictatorships (1973–76). Based in Rome, the PPT brings together internationally recognized legal and human rights experts to examine serious crimes committed against peoples and minorities when formal justice mechanisms fail.
Since its creation, the PPT has held more than 50 sessions worldwide, investigating war crimes, systemic repression, and human rights violations. Its goal is to document evidence, amplify victims’ voices, and advocate for accountability where international courts lack jurisdiction or political will.
The Madrid session is the tribunal’s first focused on Afghanistan. Organizers said it aims to give Afghan victims — particularly women — a platform to testify about Taliban repression, including bans on education, work, and public participation.
The hearings come as international pressure on the Taliban continues to grow. Earlier this year, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for several senior Taliban officials, including Hibatullah Akhundzada, the group’s supreme leader, and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, the Taliban’s chief justice, on charges of crimes against humanity, including gender persecution.
The United Nations and the newly established independent investigative mechanism on Afghanistan have also begun collecting evidence of alleged war crimes and systematic rights abuses.
