Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, will travel to Doha from December 1 to 4 to meet with Afghan stakeholders and international and regional officials, the UN announced.
The visit comes amid mounting international concern over worsening rights conditions in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. Bennett is expected to hold talks with Qatari officials, members of the Afghan diaspora, and representatives of the international community based in the Gulf state.
The meetings aim to explore how regional and global actors can work together to support the rights of Afghans, particularly women and marginalized groups, and to coordinate international engagement on Afghanistan’s human rights crisis.
“The visit is part of ongoing efforts to build a coordinated response to the situation in Afghanistan,” the UN Human Rights Office said in a statement, emphasizing the need for an “all tools” approach to improving human rights in the country.
Bennett’s visit follows the October renewal of his mandate by the UN Human Rights Council, which extended his role by consensus amid continued reports of repression, especially targeting women, journalists, and former government employees.
Qatar, which has hosted multiple rounds of diplomatic talks involving the Taliban and other Afghan parties, remains a key player in international discussions about the country’s future.
Since his appointment in 2022, Bennett has issued several critical reports on Afghanistan’s human rights situation and called for greater accountability from the Taliban.
