Feature 
 

Human Rights

Culture of Impunity

The situation in Afghanistan under Taliban rule is marked by severe human rights abuses, economic instability, and a humanitarian crisis exacerbated by international isolation and natural disasters.

By Daniyal Talat | August 2024


The humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan has worsened significantly amid economic turmoil and increasing repression, particularly targeting women and girls. The Taliban’s regime has implemented stringent restrictions, effectively pushing women out of the public sphere. This gender-based persecution has sparked international demands for investigations into potential crimes against humanity. The freedom to express dissent has been severely curtailed, with critics facing enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, and torture. The culture of impunity prevails, with no accountability for war crimes and other severe human rights violations. Freedom of religion has also suffered, with ethnic and religious minorities facing increasing discrimination and forced evictions. The Taliban has carried out public executions and corporal punishments, including stoning and flogging.

The economic situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated since the Taliban took over in 2021, compounded by natural disasters and ongoing droughts. The number of people needing humanitarian assistance rose from 18.4 million in 2022 to nearly 29 million by August 2023. The World Health Organization (WHO) warned of widespread malnutrition and disease, particularly among children, due to inadequate access to healthcare and food. Financial sanctions and international isolation have exacerbated the crisis, with the UN’s humanitarian response programme receiving less than 35% of its necessary funding by November 2023. The situation worsened with mass deportations of Afghan refugees from Pakistan, Iran, and Türkiye, increasing the strain on Afghanistan’s fragile healthcare system, which heavily relies on international aid.

The Taliban’s draconian restrictions on women’s rights, including bans on employment and education, have been condemned by organizations like Amnesty International and the International Commission of Jurists as potentially constituting gender persecution, a crime against humanity. Women have been barred from most public sector jobs and from working with the UN, severely hindering the delivery of humanitarian aid. They face restrictions on movement, with bans on traveling alone or for more than 72 kilometers without a male guardian. Beauty salons were shut down, affecting around 60,000 women-owned businesses. Women are also prohibited from participating in sports, visiting public parks, or dining alone in restaurants in some regions.


Education for girls has been severely restricted, with bans on secondary and higher education and international NGOs being barred from providing community-based education. This has led to the dismissal of nearly 4,500 women educators. Child and forced marriages, as well as gender-based violence, have increased, with the Taliban dismantling the support structures for survivors that existed under the previous government. Reports of depression and suicide among women and girls have become more common. Ethnic minorities, including Hazaras, Uzbeks, Turkmens, and Tajiks, face growing marginalization and forced evictions. Hazaras, in particular, have been subjected to violent attacks, property destruction, and killings, often with no accountability for the perpetrators. The Taliban has settled disputes in favor of Pashtun Kuchi communities, exacerbating tensions and violence.

Freedom of expression and the media have been severely restricted. Journalists face harassment, arbitrary arrests, and violence for critical reporting.

Despite a decrease in conflict-related violence since the Taliban’s takeover, civilians continue to face attacks. The UN recorded over 3,700 civilian casualties between August 2021 and May 2023, mainly attributed to the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (IS-KP). The Taliban’s conflict with the National Resistance Front (NRF) has resulted in collective punishments, arbitrary arrests, and extrajudicial executions. Amnesty International reported mass extrajudicial executions of NRF detainees and individuals associated with the former government, constituting war crimes. The use of torture, arbitrary arrests, and enforced disappearances remains rampant. The UN documented 1,600 detention-related human rights violations, with many cases involving torture. Public executions and corporal punishments, including flogging and stoning, continue, with hundreds subjected to such punishments.

Religious minorities, such as Sikhs, Hindus, Christians, Ahmadiyya, and Ismailis, face increasing marginalization and discrimination. Restrictions on religious events have been imposed, and Shia jurisprudence has been excluded from the education system. Freedom of expression and the media have been severely restricted. Journalists face harassment, arbitrary arrests, and violence for critical reporting. Over 80% of women journalists have stopped working due to increasing restrictions, and more than half of registered media outlets have closed since August 2021. Protests, particularly those led by women, have been met with excessive force, including firearms and water cannons, leading to a shift to online protests.

Human rights defenders and activists face violence, intimidation, arbitrary arrests, and torture. Many remain imprisoned, and some have been released after prolonged detention. The fear of persecution has driven thousands of Afghans to flee the country. Afghan refugees in Pakistan, Iran, and Türkiye face the threat of forced return. Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Afghanistan face harsh conditions with inadequate resources, especially during winter. The culture of impunity remains pervasive, with no progress in investigations into crimes under international law. Amnesty International has called for an independent international accountability mechanism to collect and preserve evidence for possible criminal proceedings. The UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan has highlighted the severe discrimination against women and girls as constituting gender apartheid. The Taliban’s suspension of existing laws and introduction of a strict interpretation of sharia law has severely restricted access to justice for the Afghan people.

The situation in Afghanistan under Taliban rule is marked by severe human rights abuses, economic instability, and a humanitarian crisis exacerbated by international isolation and natural disasters. The systemic repression of women and girls, coupled with the persecution of ethnic and religious minorities, has drawn international condemnation and calls for accountability. Despite decreased conflict-related violence, civilians continue to suffer from targeted attacks, arbitrary arrests, and public executions. Freedom of expression and assembly have been significantly curtailed, leaving activists, journalists, and human rights defenders at risk. The pervasive culture of impunity underscores the urgent need for international intervention to address these violations and provide support for the Afghan population.

Read More