In British Columbia, Canada, a coalition of Afghan human rights activists organized an event titled “August 15: A Fresh Wound” to express solidarity with the people of Afghanistan, condemn Taliban rule, and amplify the silenced voices of women and victims of violence.
The gathering brought together human rights defenders, university scholars, former diplomats, UN representatives, and members of the Afghan-Canadian civil society.
During a session focused on documenting human rights violations and holding the Taliban accountable, Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, emphasized that extensive evidence has been collected, including cases of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, and public executions. Bennett and other speakers called for an independent UN-led investigation and targeted sanctions against Taliban leaders.
Participants warned that any form of recognition—formal or informal—would legitimize what they described as a “violent regime.” Ramin Mahnavi, Afghanistan’s Consul General in Canada, cautioned that such moves send the wrong message globally and undermine the Afghan people’s pursuit of justice.
The panel also addressed the denial of women’s education, gender apartheid, and systemic repression, with calls to formally criminalize “gender apartheid” under international law.
Religious scholar and author Mohammad Mohaq denounced the Taliban’s instrumentalization of religion, calling it a tool of domination and suppression. He urged families not to send their children to Taliban-run religious schools, stating that such support is religiously unjustifiable.
Speakers highlighted the country’s dire humanitarian crisis: 85% of the population lives below the poverty line, and nearly 3 million children suffer from malnutrition. They urged the delivery of urgent food and medical aid through neutral humanitarian channels.
Finally, participants emphasized the importance of supporting art, culture, education, and healing programs as forms of resistance and national recovery. They urged the Afghan diaspora to invest not in extremist networks, but in initiatives that promote peace, learning, and creative resilience.
