The human rights situation in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate with little reason for optimism, according to Richard Bennett, the UN Human Rights Council’s Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan. Addressing the General Assembly, he warned of escalating gender persecution, enforced disappearances, corporal punishment, and attacks on former officials despite the Taliban’s declared amnesty. He also raised concerns over increasing restrictions on media freedom, the shrinking space for civil society, and discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities, particularly the forced evictions of Hazara communities.
Bennett highlighted that no Taliban decrees restricting women’s rights have been reversed, leaving many Afghan women unable to work. He condemned the recent ban preventing Afghan women employed by the UN from entering its compounds, calling it a severe violation of fundamental rights and the UN Charter’s principles of equality and non-discrimination. The expert also noted that cuts to humanitarian and civil society funding are dismantling the final safety nets protecting Afghanistan’s most vulnerable, urging governments to renew long-term support, especially for women-led organizations.
He expressed deep concern about the forced return of Afghan refugees, urging all countries to respect the international principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning individuals to situations where they face persecution or harm. Despite the grim outlook, Bennett acknowledged positive developments, such as the International Criminal Court issuing arrest warrants for senior Taliban leaders and the establishment of an independent UN investigative mechanism to document and preserve evidence of serious crimes for future accountability.
Concluding his address, Bennett emphasized that Afghanistan is not a lost cause and that accountability remains essential to building a just and equal future. He cautioned against any attempts to normalize relations with the Taliban without verifiable progress in human rights, particularly for women and girls, warning that turning away now would both betray the Afghan people and weaken the foundations of the international system.
