Bloc Approves Weapons Deliveries To Tajikistan For Border Reinforcement

In a statement issued on Wednesday, 10 December, to mark International Human Rights Day, UNAMA said: “Women and girls continue to face severe restrictions on education, employment and participation in public life, undermining their fundamental rights and the country’s future. Access to health services is uneven, leaving families vulnerable and communities weakened.”

Referring to the large number of Afghans returning to the country “involuntarily,” UNAMA said certain groups particularly women, people with previous links to the former government and its security forces, as well as civil society and media activists face the risk of reprisals.

UNAMA said the Taliban must bring themselves closer to meeting their international human rights obligations. According to the mission, respect for rights strengthens trust and inclusivity, creating the foundation for a society in which everyone can contribute to improving conditions.

Georgette Gagnon, UNAMA’s acting head and Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan, said: “Human rights are not optional. They are the everyday essentials that sustain life.” She added that ensuring women and girls can learn, work and participate fully is essential in Afghanistan.

Gagnon urged the Taliban authorities to take the steps needed to align with global human rights obligations and to open space for Afghanistan and all its people to thrive.

For more than four years, the international community has repeatedly called on the Taliban to respect human rights and lift restrictions on women and girls. The group has not heeded those appeals.

According to the embassy, the Taliban ambassador discussed Afghanistan’s political situation, humanitarian assistance and regional issues with the officials.

In separate statements issued on Wednesday, 10 December, the Taliban embassy said Mohammad Suhail Shaheen, the Taliban ambassador in Doha, held talks with Richard Lindsay, the UK’s special envoy for Afghanistan; Patrick DeVries, a senior adviser to the European Institute of Peace; and Virginia Gamba, the UN secretary-general’s representative for children and armed conflict.

The embassy said Shaheen discussed Afghanistan’s political situation, humanitarian aid, education and bilateral relations with the UK envoy.

According to the statement, Shaheen’s meeting with DeVries focused on the Taliban relations with the European Union, peace, regional and global issues and building trust between the international community and the Taliban.

The meetings come as South Asia Magazine recently reported that two organisations in Brussels had convened a discussion on the growing challenges under Taliban rule and the urgent need for political change in Afghanistan. Representatives of Taliban opposition groups, officials from EU member states and European institutional officials took part in that meeting.

Meanwhile, several Afghan political figures including Ahmad Massoud, Abdul Rashid Dostum, Mohammad Ismail Khan, Mohammad Hanif Atmar, Mohammad Yunus Qanuni, Mohammad Mohaqiq and Atta Mohammad Noor have formed a new coalition calling for the start of intra-Afghan peace talks under UN and international supervision.

The Taliban embassy said Shaheen also met with a delegation led by Virginia Gamba. According to the statement, the discussion centred on Afghanistan’s political situation, humanitarian aid and the education of Afghan children.

The individuals received between 25 and 39 lashes and were sentenced to between one and three years in prison.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, 10 December coinciding with International Human Rights Day the Taliban Supreme Court said the primary court in Gospandi district had publicly flogged five people, including two women, on charges of sexual relations outside marriage. They were also sentenced to one to three years’ imprisonment.

In a separate statement, the court reported the public flogging of one woman and one man in Behsud district on charges of illicit relations. They were sentenced to one year and one and a half years in prison respectively.

The public punishments were carried out as the United Nations marked International Human Rights Day under the slogan “Our Basic Needs.” Access to fair trials and respect for human dignity are among the fundamental rights and basic needs of human societies, principles that critics say the Taliban have disregarded during more than four years of rule in Afghanistan.

Data collected by Afghanistan International shows that in the past week alone, the Taliban have flogged at least 94 people across the country on various charges.

The Taliban describe flogging of those convicted in their courts as the implementation of Islamic law. International organisations consider such punishments a violation of human rights standards and have repeatedly called on the Taliban to end corporal punishment and torture.

He said he would prefer the United States to accept immigrants from countries like Sweden, Denmark and Norway.

Trump made the remarks during a speech at a rally in Pennsylvania.

A week earlier, the United States announced it had suspended all immigration applications, including applications for green cards and US citizenship, from Afghan migrants and nationals of 18 other countries.

Those countries, all non-European, include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.

The official memo outlining the Trump administration’s new policy refers to last week’s attack on members of the US National Guard in Washington, in which an Afghan man was arrested as a suspect. Officials said they had identified Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a 29-year-old Afghan who had been granted asylum in April, as the suspect in the attack.

Since returning to power in January this year, President Donald Trump has adopted strict immigration policies. Following the recent attack on US soldiers in Washington, the Trump administration has intensified its actions against immigrants, particularly Afghans.

The Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Wednesday, that Bertrand assured the continuation of EU assistance to Afghanistan during the meeting.

According to the ministry, Bertrand called for expanded cooperation between the two sides to help attract investment from major foreign companies into Afghanistan.

Muttaqi, expressing appreciation for the EU’s support, urged Europe to take positive steps to advance Afghanistan’s development across various sectors.

The statement said security issues and the situation of migrants returning to Afghanistan were also discussed.

No further details of the meeting have been released.

Bertrand’s first visit to Afghanistan took place earlier this year. During that trip, he met Abdul Salam Hanafi, the Taliban’s deputy prime minister, and the two sides discussed countering drug cultivation and trafficking, as well as the return of Afghan migrants.

Bertrand also said that supporting Afghan women and girls remained one of his top priorities.