In response to the third anniversary of the Taliban's takeover on August 15, the United Nations stated that over the past three years, the human rights of women in Afghanistan have been violated by a regime that lacks both domestic and international legitimacy. The UN added that the situation in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate and calls for strong and effective international action.
Tarz Press – Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, along with 19 other UN members, issued a joint statement asserting that the international community should not normalize the Taliban's rule and should instead support prosecuting the group's leaders for human rights violations in the International Court of Justice. The statement highlighted that, over the past three years, the rights and freedoms of Afghan citizens, particularly women and girls, have been severely attacked by a regime that lacks legitimacy both domestically and internationally.
The UN members' statement also noted that since the Taliban came to power, they have issued more than 80 decrees, most of which have targeted and restricted the rights and freedoms of women and girls. The statement called on the International Criminal Court to expedite its investigations into Afghanistan to advance cases with sufficient evidence.
The declaration stated: "We support initiating a case related to Afghanistan in the International Court for violating the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and other relevant documents."
Additionally, the statement pointed out that the Taliban "suppress their opponents, civil society, and the media" and that over the past three years, the group has failed to fulfill its responsibilities as a governing body to the Afghan people. UN experts emphasized that non-Taliban voices, particularly those of women, girls, and ethnic and religious minorities, must be heard and their human rights considered in political processes and diplomatic engagements. They stressed that this issue is of utmost importance.
It is worth noting that three years have passed since the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan, yet no country has recognized their government. The primary reason is that the international community lacks confidence in the Taliban's ability to function as a responsible and accountable government.
