Richard Bennett, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, has stated that the international community must not normalise the systematic suppression of fundamental rights and severe discrimination against women under Taliban rule in Afghanistan.
Speaking while presenting his report to the United Nations General Assembly, Bennett said that five years had passed since the Taliban returned to power, yet the group had still demonstrated no clear willingness to improve the human rights situation in the country.
He stressed that any engagement with the Taliban must be conditional on tangible progress in human rights and accountability.
According to Bennett, the Taliban’s recent decrees have further restricted women’s fundamental rights, made the prevention of violence more difficult, and created conditions conducive to forced child marriages.
Bennett also stated that arbitrary arrests, torture, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and restrictions on freedom of expression continue in Afghanistan. He described the arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court against Taliban leaders as an important step towards achieving justice.
He further emphasised the need to protect civilians amid the ongoing conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan. He called on the international community to continue supporting the Afghan people, particularly by promoting girls’ education and supporting women-led organisations, and urged it not to suspend humanitarian assistance.
Writer:Saeed Sameer
