Freedom Now

Five years after the Taliban seized power, I reiterate my warning: the international community must not allow the Taliban’s regime of repression and institutionalised discrimination to become normalised or accepted as the status quo. The systematic denial of fundamental rights is devastating the lives of Afghans, particula women and girls. This demands urgent, sustained and principled international action. 🟠 I call on States to ensure that engagement with the de facto authorities does not confer legitimacy in the absence of measurable, independently verified improvements in human rights. Serious violations must have consequences. Accountability must not be sacrificed for political expediency, and those responsible must be brought to justice. ➡️ I am gravely concerned by the deportation of Afghans from Pakistan, alongside the deteriorating humanitarian situation and civilian casualties resulting from ongoing hostilities. States must uphold the principle of non-refoulement, protect civilians and ensure sustained humanitarian assistance. No one should be returned to a situation where they face a real risk of persecution or serious human rights violations. 🔴 The systematic assault on children’s rights is equally alarming. The denial of education to girls, child and forced marriage, child labour and exposure to violence are robbing children of their childhood and jeopardising an entire generation’s future. These violations must not be overlooked or treated as inevitable. 🇦🇫 Afghanistan’s children must not be condemned to a future defined by exclusion, discrimination and violence. Their rights, dignity and opportunities must be protected. The international community must stand unequivocally with the Afghan people. The normalisation of repression is unacceptable; impunity must not prevail. States must translate their commitments into concrete action to protect human rights, ensure accountability and uphold equality, justice and human dignity. 🔗Read the full press release here: ohchr.org/en/press-releases/…