The radical Islamic government is persecuting minorities, violently suppressing peaceful protests and oppressing women, according to the human rights organization’s report published on Monday. There are also extrajudicial executions and enforced disappearances.
Crimes such as torture, revenge killings and expulsions of minorities often go unpunished, says the report Taliban Rule: A Year of Violence, Impunity and False Promises.
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Afghanistan “in free fall”
Dramatic scenes at the airport
The Taliban met little resistance from Afghan forces last year as they gradually took control of the country and eventually captured the capital, Kabul. US and NATO troops withdrew. After the Taliban took over Kabul, an international military evacuation operation took place. Dramatic scenes took place at the capital’s airport when many people wanted to leave the country.
Since returning to power, the Taliban has quelled any dissent. Arbitrary arrests, extrajudicial executions of former Afghan officials and attacks by the Islamic State (IS) terrorist militia against religious minorities have increased. The economic difficulty is also greater than before. Almost half of the population is threatened by hunger.
When the Taliban took power, they promised a more moderate form of Islamic government than they practiced in Afghanistan between 1996 and 2001. However, in the last twelve months, women’s rights, among other things, have again been massively curtailed.
APA/AFP At the airport, dozens of people were waiting for the opportunity to leave the country
torture and executions
“A year ago, the Taliban made a public commitment to protecting and promoting human rights,” said Amnesty International. “One year later, however, the human rights record is catastrophic.” Arbitrary arrests, torture, enforced disappearances or summary executions are the order of the day.
Important achievements of the last 20 years, especially with regard to the rights of girls and women, would also be nullified, the human rights organization explained. They are denied education and participation in public life.
According to the report, Amnesty research shows that Taliban security forces use excessive force to enforce a ban on peaceful protests. Human rights defenders and activists are being harassed, threatened, detained and killed, according to the report. Last year, more than 80 journalists were arrested and tortured because they reported peaceful protests.
dead and missing people
There are multiple reports of Taliban soldiers beating and torturing Afghans who allegedly violated Taliban edicts or accused of collaborating with the previous government, the human rights organization said. Cases of revenge killings and executions of alleged resistance fighters also became 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 in the previous government or because they are suspected of being involved in the resistance against the Taliban. There were also illegal evictions of non-Pashtun minorities from their homes and farms.
Amnesty called on the Taliban to respect human rights and international law. Furthermore, the international community must take effective steps to hold the Taliban accountable for the crimes committed.