Over 75 Percent Of Afghan Children In Pakistan Deprived Of Education, Says UN

In a statement issued on April 28, the Catalan parliament highlighted the worsening situation in Afghanistan in recent years, including restrictions on the rights of women, girls and ethnic and religious minorities.

The statement emphasised that Hazaras in Afghanistan have endured a long history of “exclusion, repression, discrimination and systematic violence” due to their ethnic and religious identity.

Reviewing historical context, it referred to the “The first phase of massive, systematic, and state-directed violence” against Hazaras in the late 19th century during the rule of Abdur Rahman Khan.

The parliament also pointed to waves of violence against Hazaras in the years after 2001, noting that such attacks have intensified further in recent years.

According to the statement, these acts include suicide bombings, mass killings, assassinations of Hazara leaders, and attacks on educational, religious and healthcare institutions.

It stressed that these actions meet international legal criteria for “genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes”, warning that impunity increases the risk of continued and escalating violence against Hazaras.

The Catalan parliament also emphasised support for the rights of Hazara victims and asylum seekers, including humanitarian protection, asylum policies and resettlement mechanisms.

It called on the European Union and the United Nations to establish or support independent mechanisms for investigating and documenting crimes against Hazaras.

Previously, the Barcelona City Council also adopted a declaration expressing concern over the situation of Hazaras in Afghanistan and urged the international community to take immediate action to protect civilians and prevent further violence.

In the letter, dated May 4, Lotfullah Khpalwak, head of personnel affairs at the Taliban Foreign Ministry, wrote to the ministry’s finance and administrative department that, by order of the Taliban prime minister, the post had been cut from the 1405 Solar Hijri year (March 21, 2026-March 21, 2027) structure.

Since returning to power, the Taliban have gradually removed many institutions related to women from the state structure.

The conversion of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs into the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice is one of the clearest examples of this policy.

At the same time, women have been barred from working in many government offices and non-governmental organisations, while girls have been denied education beyond sixth grade and access to universities. These measures have restricted women’s presence in public life and drawn strong criticism from the international community.

The findings were presented on Thursday, April 30, at the launch of a joint study by the network and the University of Toronto titled Women’s Access to Justice in Afghanistan in Toronto.

At the event, attended by legal experts, civil society activists, academics, diplomats and journalists, organisers said the research aimed to highlight women’s access to justice in Afghanistan and draw international attention to structural barriers.

The report found that Afghanistan’s formal justice system has undergone fundamental changes under Taliban rule.

According to the data, 81% of respondents said the justice system has changed completely or to a large extent, while 91% believed the removal of female legal professionals has had a serious negative impact on judicial outcomes.

Zarqa Yaftali, founder of the network, said formal justice mechanisms under the Taliban have been significantly weakened and replaced by systems that are neither fair nor effective, and which have expanded impunity, particularly in cases of violence against women.

According to the network’s statement, Professor Edward Schatz of the University of Toronto said the university remains committed to highlighting Afghanistan in academic and policy forums and expanding cooperation with Afghan institutions.

Richard Bennett, UN special rapporteur, stressed that international accountability and sustained pressure to improve human rights, particularly women’s rights, are essential.

Fawzia Koofi, former Afghan MP, said the absence of fair trials and the rise in arbitrary detentions are contributing to growing insecurity and instability in society.

The meeting concluded with calls for coordinated and sustained international action and support for civil society, particularly women-led organisations.

The Taliban Ministry of Justice announced on Tuesday that the “Law on Preachers” has been issued in the official gazette after being endorsed by Akhundzada. The law consists of two chapters and 17 articles.

Under Article 6, a preacher must adhere to the Hanafi school of thought. Article 10 also states that preaching must be conducted on the basis of Hanafi jurisprudence.

Article 14 stipulates that if any preacher does not follow the Hanafi school, they must be prevented from carrying out their activities.

According to Article 9, preachers may spread their message through speech and media such as radio, magazines and books, but the use of media containing “live images” is prohibited.

The law also states that preachers must refrain from taking minors and women with them during their religious outreach. Teaching prayer, promoting the “virtue of jihad”, explaining women’s rights and instructing on women’s dress are among the responsibilities outlined in the law.

Over the past four years, the Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions on social and religious life in Afghanistan, particularly affecting civil liberties, women’s rights, education and the conduct of religious practices.

In religious matters, the Taliban have repeatedly stressed the enforcement of rulings based on Hanafi jurisprudence. This has raised concerns among followers of other sects, especially Shia Muslims, about restrictions on religious freedom.

During this period, the Taliban have also continued to enforce rules and restrictions on citizens through the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, April 22, the court said the punishment was carried out in Khash district after approval by the high authority of the Supreme Court. Both individuals were also sentenced to one year of enforced imprisonment.

Findings by Afghanistan International show that since late-March, the Taliban have flogged at least 149 people across the country on various charges.

Despite opposition from international organisations to torture and corporal punishment, the Taliban have continued to carry out public floggings.

Human rights groups say the Taliban’s judicial system lacks due process, with defendants denied basic fair trial rights, including access to legal representation.