Taliban in Afghanistan say girls will be able to return to high school ‘as soon as possible’

“In just the five weeks since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, they have already demonstrated that they do not take the protection or respect of human rights seriously,” said Dinoshika Dissanayake of the organization. “Given the prevailing climate of fear, poor mobile connectivity in many areas, and deliberate internet outages, it is likely that these findings are just a snapshot of what is happening,” Amnesty International and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) said in a briefing. Organization Against Torture (OMCT).

Reports include the targeted killing of civilians and soldiers who surrendered, the obstruction of humanitarian supplies in the Panjshir Valley and the reimposition of restrictions on women and civil society. Freedom of expression has also been restricted, according to organizations that deal with crimes under international law.

Amnesty International therefore wants the UN Human Rights Council to establish an independent mechanism with a mandate to document and collect evidence of crimes under international law and other serious human rights violations across Afghanistan. “The international community must live up to its moral and political obligations and not abandon people who have dedicated their lives to defending human rights, gender equality, the rule of law and democratic freedoms. They must protect them at all costs,” he said.