Status: 08/15/2022 08:45 a.m
Amnesty International has criticized serious human rights violations in Afghanistan. A report documents widespread impunity for crimes such as torture and revenge killings since the Taliban took power a year ago.
According to an Amnesty report, the Taliban committed the most serious human rights violations in Afghanistan after taking power a year ago, contrary to what they announced. According to the report by the human rights organization, the radical Islamic government is persecuting minorities, violently suppressing peaceful protests and oppressing women.
Crimes such as torture, revenge killings and the expulsion of minorities often go unpunished, according to the report “Taliban Rule: A Year of Violence, Impunity and False Promises”.
“Human rights record is catastrophic”
Germany and other NATO countries left Afghanistan a good year ago. On August 15, 2021, the Taliban captured the capital Kabul almost without a fight.
“A year ago, the Taliban made a public commitment to protect and promote human rights,” said Theresa Bergmann, Asia expert at Amnesty International in Germany. “A year later, however, the human rights record is catastrophic.” Arbitrary detentions, torture, enforced disappearances or summary executions are the order of the day.
Journalists arrested and tortured
Important achievements of the past 20 years, especially with regard to the rights of girls and women, would also be nullified, explained Bergmann. They are denied education and participation in public life. “They experience systematic discrimination in almost every area of life.”
According to the report, research by Amnesty shows that the Taliban security forces use excessive force to enforce the ban on peaceful protests. Human rights defenders and activists are being harassed, threatened, detained and killed, the report said.
The Taliban also took action against freedom of the press. On September 19, 2021, the media and information center there issued an order with vague wording prohibiting journalists from publishing content that “contradicts Islam” or “insults national figures”. Over the past year, more than 80 journalists have been arrested and tortured for reporting on peaceful protests.
Dozens of people disappeared
There are numerous reports of Taliban soldiers beating and torturing Afghans who are said to have violated Taliban decrees or who are accused of collaborating with the previous government, the human rights organization said.
Cases of revenge killings and executions of suspected resistance fighters have also become known, the report says. Hundreds of bodies were found with gunshot wounds or signs of torture that indicate extrajudicial executions.
Dozens of people have disappeared because they worked under the previous government or because they are suspected of having been involved in resistance to the Taliban. There have also been illegal evictions of non-Pashtun minorities from their homes and farms.
International community should take action
Amnesty International calls on the Taliban to end their serious violations of human rights and crimes under international law immediately. As the de facto government of Afghanistan, the Taliban urgently need to restore, protect and promote the rights of the population. In order to prevent the human rights crisis in Afghanistan from worsening further, the international community must take effective measures to hold the Taliban accountable for the crimes committed.