KABUL (SW) – The Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) has urged the Taliban to allow independent and impartial monitoring of the human rights situation, especially the human rights of women and children throughout the country.
In a statement, the commission also called on the Taliban to abide by the Afghan government’s international obligations, in particular its adherence to international human rights conventions, in the face of widespread violations of citizens’ fundamental rights, including the right to education, training, employment and travel.
Observance of international humanitarian law, obstruction of access to humanitarian aid and services, respect for the independence of the Human Rights Commission and its staff, as well as human rights defenders, are other demands made by the AIHRC.
The body has praised the ongoing efforts by the UNAMA and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Afghanistan, and called on the UN Human Rights Council to establish an independent mechanism to monitor human rights abuses in Afghanistan.
The commission also said that it has not been able to fulfill its duties towards the people of Afghanistan since August 15 following the Taliban takeover.
“The Taliban have not only occupied the buildings of all the commission’s offices, but also used these offices to hold their meetings and use the commission’s assets, such as vehicles and computers,” the statement said.
However, the AIHRC has said that the Taliban have been indifferent to human rights in the past and that its leadership does not rule out the possibility that the Taliban will respect the commission’s mission and independence. The commission stressed that if it could not support the rights of its female employees, it could not support the rights of any Afghan citizens.
According to the AIHRC, the commission’s inability to carry out its duties, coupled with legitimate concerns by civil society activists and journalists about restrictions on freedom of expression, has significantly reduced the ability of Afghan citizens to monitor and uphold their rights.
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