KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – An international coalition led by Iceland has urged the UN Human Rights Council to step up efforts to ensure accountability for human rights abuses in Afghanistan, warning of a deepening crisis under Taliban rule.
In a joint statement delivered at the Council in Geneva, the coalition — which includes Chile and South Africa — called for the creation of an independent investigative mechanism to address both past and ongoing violations.
The proposed mechanism, they said, would support and complement the work of Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Afghanistan.
“Afghanistan today is facing the world’s most serious crackdown on women’s rights within the context of a worsening human rights and humanitarian crisis,” the statement said. “Systematic and widespread violations, many of which may constitute crimes under international law, demand our urgent attention and action.”
The coalition also drew attention to the plight of minorities in Afghanistan, who face marginalization, underrepresentation, discrimination, and lack of protection. They pointed to the Taliban’s deepening restrictions on civic space, arbitrary detentions, and the torture of journalists and other critics as further evidence of the worsening situation.
“As Taliban oppression increases, the Human Rights Council must ensure it is using all the tools available to address the crisis,” the statement added. “This includes supporting accountability for violations and contributing to the prevention of future abuses.”
Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur, has repeatedly warned that the Taliban’s continued disregard for human rights — particularly the rights of women and girls — has been emboldened by the international community’s failure to take firm action. In his latest report to the Council in February, he called on member states to consider establishing a dedicated investigative mechanism.
Rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, along with civil society groups and activists, have long advocated for such a mechanism. They argue that such a mechanism should be mandated to investigate, collect, preserve, and analyze evidence of grave human rights abuses in the country.
