51st regular session of the UN Human Rights Council
Item 2: Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan
Delivered by Hafizullah Saeedi
On behalf of Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)
12 September 2022
Mr. President,
Since the Taliban take over of Afghanistan on 15 August 2021, almost all state institutions, legal system, the judiciary and all other mechanisms that are responsible for upholding human rights and rule of law in Afghanistan have collapsed.
The Taliban has abolished of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) and the Ministry of Women Affairs, replaced the Afghan Constitution with a system based on extreme interpretation of Sharia Law with no regard for the country’s human rights obligations, imposed severe restrictions of women’s rights and their daily life, and completely shut down civic and political space.
Gross violations of human rights, such as arbitrary arrest, torture, enforced disappearances, and extra-judicial killings targeting women, human rights defenders, journalists, and former government employees by the Taliban are widespread and alarming. Ethnic and religious minorities in Afghanistan continue to bear the brunt of the Taliban’s atrocities. Human rights defenders, journalists and activists have been forced into hiding or exile fearing persecution. Taliban continues to interfere in the distribution of humanitarian aid from international organisations to divert aid to its loyalists instead of those most in need.
In the absence of all domestic human rights and rule of law institutions or independent reporting, victims of Taliban’s crimes risk being forgotten and ignored by the international community. Only a full-fledged international accountability mechanism with the mandate and resources can document, investigate and account for the full extent and gravity of the crimes that continue to be committed in Afghanistan.
Can the Special Rapporteur elaborate on additional steps the Council can take to ensure investigations and accountability for violations and abuses of human rights being committed in Afghanistan?
Thank you!
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This post was originally published on FORUM-ASIA.