Break the Silence: End human rights violations in Afghanistan

What’s the problem?

Since the Taliban seized power in 2021, Afghanistan has been in a downward spiral of human rights violations. Women are banned from all aspects of life, abuses like torture and ill-treatment, arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, censorship, among others, continue with absolute impunity. Severe restrictions on right to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and political participation of women have gone enchecked. The return of corporal punishment and absence of an independent judiciary further exacerbates these issues, leaving victims without any recourse to justice.

The Taliban have dismissed allegations of gender persecution by claiming they are complying with Shariah (Islamic law) and ‘Afghan culture.’ All restrictive and repressive decrees and policies that were ostensibly introduced as temporary measures to ensure the safety of the people, especially women and girls, at the beginning of their rule are still in place after three years. “We were told the Taliban have changed. We were told not [to] spoil the peace efforts. We were told the world will stand for us. [yet] today we are living our miseries alone,” said Nazifa, a teacher in Mazar-e- sharif province of Afghanistan.

Even as the people of Afghanistan remain stuck in this endless nightmare, the international community has failed to take any meaningful action. Strong words won’t stop this repression; strong action will. Governments around the world must step up to put an end to this cycle of repression.