KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – During the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council, Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, delivered a grim assessment of the human rights landscape under Taliban rule. Bennett’s report detailed the escalating repression, particularly against women and girls, and called for urgent and decisive international action.
Bennett expressed deep concern over the Taliban’s intensifying human rights violations since his last report in June. He highlighted the recent enactment of a law that empowers the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which has institutionalized gender discrimination and segregation across the country. This law, Bennett warned, marks a new stage in the Taliban’s systematic oppression, further restricting women’s rights. Women are now required to travel with a male guardian, face punishment for being heard in public, and suffer increasingly limited freedom of movement and speech.
“These violations, if left unaddressed, will have long-lasting repercussions, shaping Afghanistan’s future generations,” Bennett cautioned. He described the Taliban’s policies as gender persecution—a crime against humanity.
Bennett also emphasized the deteriorating situation for religious, ethnic, and linguistic minorities in Afghanistan, with the Hazara community bearing the brunt of the violence. Ongoing attacks and restrictions have severely impacted their ability to practice their faith, speak their language, and express their cultural identities.
The Special Rapporteur underscored his concern for children, LGBTQ+ individuals, older people, and those with disabilities, all of whom face increasing violence, neglect, and systemic discrimination under Taliban rule.
“The cumulative effects of these oppressive policies perpetuate a climate of fear and repression that touches every segment of Afghan society,” Bennett said, pointing to the severe restrictions on journalists and human rights defenders. Threats, intimidation, and imprisonment have made it nearly impossible for independent voices to operate, further silencing dissent.
Bennett criticized the Taliban for its blatant rejection of international human rights obligations and its dismissal of recommendations from both Afghan and international human rights experts. He noted that the Taliban has refused him access to Afghanistan, severely limiting oversight and accountability.
Reflecting on his initial visit to Afghanistan in 2022, Bennett remarked that the country stood at a crossroads. Since then, he observed that both the words and actions of the Taliban have become harsher, with the group now openly rejecting international human rights norms.
“Having reached the crossroads, they appear to have taken the path that leads back to the appalling conditions of the late 1990s,” he said.
The Special Rapporteur urged the Human Rights Council to adopt a comprehensive, survivor-centered approach to justice in Afghanistan. He called on member states to take stronger action against the Taliban’s abuses and warned against a fragmented, piecemeal response that would fail to address the gravity of the situation.
Bennett stressed the need for a coordinated international strategy, emphasizing that normalization of relations with the Taliban should only occur if there are measurable and independently verified improvements in human rights.
“The collective response has fallen far short,” Bennett concluded, urging the global community to act with greater urgency. “Failure to effectively tackle the cycle of impunity emboldens the Taliban’s oppressive regime and diminishes the prospects for genuine and lasting peace in Afghanistan and beyond.”
Bennett’s remarks come at a time when Afghanistan continues to struggle with a worsening humanitarian crisis, with millions facing food insecurity, displacement, and a lack of basic services.
The situation is further exacerbated by the Taliban’s draconian policies, which have reversed many of the human rights gains made over the past two decades. As the international community grapples with how to respond, Bennett’s call for a unified, robust approach serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing plight of the people under the ruling regime.
