A total of 108 national and international organizations, including Human Rights Watch, have urged the United Nations Human Rights Council to establish an independent accountability mechanism for Afghanistan.
In an open letter, the signatories argued that such a mechanism would support efforts to address grave and systematic human rights violations and crimes under international law, whether committed in the past or ongoing.
They stressed that the initiative is essential to confront Afghanistan’s entrenched culture of impunity, which has persisted for decades. According to the letter, a dedicated accountability framework could strengthen avenues for justice, enable comprehensive investigations into rights abuses, and help prevent their recurrence.
The organizations highlighted that this mechanism would complement current and potential future processes, including proceedings at the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice, and transitional justice initiatives inside the country.
The letter cited the “Call for Justice” report published by the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission in 2005, which documented the voices of thousands who demanded truth, accountability, and reparations for decades of war-related atrocities.
It also underscored the Taliban’s actions over the past four years, including banning girls from education beyond the primary level, imposing restrictions on women’s employment and mobility, and curtailing fundamental freedoms.
The signatories referenced arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court against Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, the group’s chief justice, on charges of crimes against humanity, including persecution of women, girls, and LGBTQ individuals.
The letter further noted that under Taliban rule, religious and ethnic minorities—such as Shia, Ismaili, Sikh, and Hindu communities—face intensified marginalization and severe restrictions on their religious and cultural practices.
The organizations condemned the Taliban’s violent suppression of dissent, extrajudicial punishments, enforced disappearances, and public corporal penalties such as flogging and executions. They warned that Afghanistan’s independent legal system has been replaced with one rooted in the Taliban’s interpretation of Sharia.
The signatories called on the Human Rights Council, during its 60th session, not only to create a new accountability mechanism but also to extend the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan.
Among the endorsing groups were Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the International Federation for Human Rights, Tolerance, and Femena.
