Photo: Photo: UN Web TV

Human Rights Council Extends Special Rapporteur’s Mandate on Afghanistan

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The UN Human Rights Council has extended the Special Rapporteur’s mandate on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan for a one-year period.

In a resolution adopted without vote on Wednesday, October 9, the council requested Richard Bennett, who has been barred from entering Afghanistan by the Taliban, to present a report on the human rights situation in Afghanistan at its fifty-eighth session.

The resolution also requested Mr. Bennett to prepare a separate study on the Taliban’s newly enacted morality law and to provide an oral update to the council at its sixtieth session, as well as report to the General Assembly at its eightieth session.

The resolution called on the Taliban to revoke the decision barring Mr. Bennett from accessing Afghanistan and to provide him, along with other special procedures and bodies, with all necessary information and support for the effective fulfillment of their mandate.

The Taliban recently barred Mr. Bennett from entering Afghanistan, accusing him of “spreading propaganda” and providing “inaccurate and misleading” information to the UN and the international community.

He was appointed to the role in April 2022 amid the worsening human rights situation in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Since his appointment, he has traveled to Afghanistan at least three times, where he met with Taliban authorities, rights groups, activists, and women.

He has been highly critical of Taliban policies, particularly those impacting women and girls. In all his reports and briefings to the UN, he highlighted the Taliban’s human rights abuses, which he described as “crimes against humanity” and “gender apartheid.”

In response to the renewal of the mandate, Mr. Bennett wrote on X that he will continue to “independently and impartially” fulfill the mandate, work to make a difference for Afghans, and document and report on violations.

The human rights situation in Afghanistan has significantly deteriorated since the Taliban takeover in August 2021. The regime has imposed numerous restrictions on women and girls, including banning them from secondary education, university, and most jobs outside the home.

The Human Rights Council’s new resolution expresses grave concern over the ongoing human rights violations in Afghanistan, particularly those affecting women and ethnic and religious minorities.

The resolution specifically voiced concern about the situation of the Hazaras, an ethnic group that has historically been persecuted and marginalized by governments and extremist groups, including the Taliban.

It calls on the Taliban to reverse restrictive and discriminatory policies and practices, including those targeting women, girls, and ethnic and religious groups such as Hazara-Shias, and to ensure their representation in all decision-making processes.

The resolution condemns the Taliban’s summary executions, arbitrary detentions, forced disappearances, collective punishments, and other crimes, including sexual and gender-based violence, violence against peaceful protesters, and reprisals.

Through its new resolution, the council emphasizes the need to ensure accountability by bringing perpetrators of crimes involving human rights violations and breaches of international law to justice.

The council’s renewal of the mandate, however, still falls short of meeting advocates’ expectations. While Human Rights Watch (HRW) welcomed the adoption of the resolution, it expressed dissatisfaction with the council’s failure to establish an accountability mechanism for Afghanistan.

In a statement, the rights group noted that despite consistent appeals from human rights organizations, the resolution does not include a mechanism to advance accountability for the grave human rights abuses committed by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

“As Taliban oppression worsens, it is critical for governments claiming to support human rights and accountability to move from words to action. They should establish an independent accountability mechanism to address past and ongoing abuses in Afghanistan without further delay,” HRW said.