UN Commissioner Warns of Institutionalized Rights Erosion in Afghanistan

Volker Türk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, has expressed deep concern regarding the deepening crisis in Afghanistan. Speaking at the sixty-third session of the Human Rights Council, he described a situation where basic rights are deteriorating and millions remain trapped in poverty. According to Türk, the international community appears to be overlooking the escalating repression, a silence he characterized as deafening.

The UN official stated that the Taliban are intensifying repressive restrictions with every passing month. He emphasized that this trend is moving from isolated incidents to a normalized state of affairs, leaving the population in a condition that worsens daily. The report highlights a broad range of violations, affecting both men and women across various sectors of society.

Systematic Exclusion of Women

A central focus of the address was the severe impact on women and girls. Türk noted that approximately 2.2 million individuals have been denied access to secondary and higher education since 2021. Beyond education, women face strict requirements regarding dress and are entirely absent from public decision-making bodies. Recent decrees have also made it more difficult for women to separate from their husbands, while implicitly permitting child marriage and domestic violence.

The High Commissioner described this exclusion as a form of gender apartheid that has no place in any society. He pointed out that women, including UN staff and contractors, have been restricted from entering UN buildings across the country. This systematic removal from public life, he argued, constitutes an unacceptable violation of human rights that has been institutionalized by the current authorities.

Enforcement of Repressive Measures

According to Türk, the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has intensified arrests on charges related to dress codes, beard length, and musical activities. In the first half of the year, at least 449 men and women faced corporal punishment. He also noted that violations continue against officials from the former government and members of the previous defense and security forces, who remain subject to detention and harassment.

Press and Minority Restrictions

The report also details ongoing constraints on religious minorities, including Shia and Ismaili communities. Media outlets operate under heavy censorship, with journalists facing detention and several organizations being temporarily shut down. Content considered contrary to Afghan culture or Taliban regulations is barred from publication. Türk called on the international community to renew efforts to ensure that Afghanistan upholds its obligations under international law, urging a return to focused attention on the country's humanitarian and human rights situation.