Taliban Increases Security Presence & Restrictions In Panjshir

The European Union warned on Wednesday, 17 June, at a session of the UN Human Rights Council reviewing the annual report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, that the Taliban’s treatment of women and systematic violations of their rights could amount to “gender persecution” and a “crime against humanity” under the Rome Statute.

Criticism of the Taliban Leader’s New Decrees

In the statement, the European Union explicitly described two recent decrees by the Taliban leader, including Decree No. 12 on the criminal procedure regulation for courts and Decree No. 18 on the law on separation of couples, as a cause of serious concern and a factor worsening the situation further.

According to the EU, the decrees severely undermine fundamental principles such as equality before the law, the right to a fair trial, freedom of religion or belief, and protection for women and children.

Another part of the statement, referring to Afghanistan’s membership of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, said the Taliban’s treatment of women could be prosecuted as a crime against humanity.

The European Union called on the Taliban to immediately revoke all its restrictive policies and align its laws with Afghanistan’s international obligations, particularly the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

The statement emphasised that victims and survivors of human rights violations in Afghanistan deserve justice, describing the funding and activation of an “independent investigative mechanism for Afghanistan” as a decisive process in this regard.

The independent investigative mechanism for Afghanistan is a transnational body responsible for collecting, documenting and preserving evidence related to war crimes and human rights violations for future international courts.

Support for Minorities

In the statement, the European Union stressed the need to protect the rights of ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, particularly the Hazara community. The international body called for respect for the rule of law, freedom of expression and media freedom in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

At the end of the statement, the EU underlined the need for unhindered access to humanitarian assistance across the country, saying women must be allowed to work and deliver aid to people without any restrictions.

The European Union once again said lasting peace, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan would only be achieved when an Afghan-led political process takes shape with the participation of all sections of society and the meaningful involvement of women.

This is not the first time Western countries have called on the Taliban to form an inclusive government and respect human rights. The Taliban has rejected both demands, describing them as interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs and contrary to its interpretation of Islamic rules.

European countries have repeatedly criticised the Taliban’s human rights record at meetings of the UN Security Council and the Human Rights Council. By contrast, some of the Taliban’s regional partners, including Russia and China, have defended the group against some of these criticisms and emphasised engagement with the Taliban.

In a statement, the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry said the two sides discussed the provision of humanitarian assistance to those in need and the effectiveness of the aid delivery process.

According to the statement, the UN under-secretary-general appreciated the facilities created and the cooperation of the Taliban administration with aid organisations, describing them as important for the effective and timely delivery of assistance.

DiCarlo also briefed the Taliban foreign minister on the latest developments and progress related to the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), and outlined details of the UN’s ongoing efforts in Afghanistan.

The statement said both sides stressed the importance of continuing mutual understanding, expanding constructive engagement and increasing bilateral cooperation in the future.

The conversation took place as the UN Security Council on Monday adopted a resolution extending UNAMA’s mandate until 17 June 2027.

In the resolution, the Security Council stated that UNAMA should continue to implement its mandate in close consultation with all relevant Afghan political actors and stakeholders, particularly the relevant authorities, while supporting the people of Afghanistan and respecting Afghan sovereignty, leadership and ownership.

The resolution also requested the UN secretary-general to conduct a strategic review of UNAMA’s mandate and submit the report to the Security Council by the end of March next year.

According to the sources, the girls were arrested for not wearing clothing that complied with the Taliban’s dress code.

Eyewitnesses and local sources said on Wednesday that Taliban forces took the young women away after detaining them.

At the same time, Najibullah Ali, the Taliban’s security chief for the Herat police command, announced that the group would continue detaining women in the province.

He stressed that the monitoring of women’s dress would continue in Herat “to promote compliance with hijab and raise public awareness”, adding that those who ignore the rules would be arrested.

In recent days, the Taliban have detained several women and girls in Herat for allegedly failing to comply with the group’s dress requirements, a move that has sparked public protests and criticism from activists.

Over the past two weeks, the Taliban have arrested dozens of women in the province for allegedly not wearing a face veil or for failing to follow the group’s clothing regulations. The United Nations has confirmed the detentions.

The arrests of women in Herat and the Taliban’s response to protesters in the Jebrail area have triggered demonstrations in more than 10 countries. Protesters have called for the release of those detained and an end to the enforcement of compulsory dress codes on women and girls.

Marking the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, UNAMA stressed the importance of restoring rangelands, improving land management and supporting local communities.

In a statement, UNAMA warned that Afghanistan is on the frontline of climate change impacts. Highlighting the country’s heavy dependence on agriculture, the mission underscored the urgent need to restore degraded land and protect water resources.

According to the United Nations, the degradation of large areas of pastureland has significantly increased pressure on the livelihoods of rural communities and livestock herders, while accelerating environmental decline.

Repeated droughts, severe water shortages and the loss of agricultural land have affected the lives of millions of people, contributing to rising poverty, food insecurity and forced displacement among rural families.

Recent data from international organisations underscore the scale of the crisis. A recent UNICEF report found that more than 8.8 million children in Afghanistan face serious climate-related risks. UNAMA has also previously reported that 40 per cent of the country’s land has been degraded.

The Chashma-Sar platform reported in May that 30 Afghan provinces are experiencing moderate to severe drought due to a sharp decline in rainfall and the early depletion of snow reserves.

The situation has been highlighted on June 17, the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, which is observed annually by the United Nations to raise awareness of the dangers posed by desertification.

The UNCCD has chosen the theme “Restore the Land. Unlock the Opportunities” through its focus on rangelands this year, encouraging countries to recognise, value and restore these vital ecosystems. It has also designated the current year as the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists.

Uzbekistan’s presidential office announced on Wednesday, June 17, that the fifth Tashkent International Investment Forum had been held and published the text of President Mirziyoyev’s address.

Speaking at the forum, Mirziyoyev discussed economic and investment cooperation, green energy, artificial intelligence, financial markets, infrastructure projects and expanding regional transport connectivity.

Referring to the Trans-Afghan corridor, he said: “We are also actively working on the Trans-Afghan Corridor project, which will provide direct access to southern seaports.”

He added that the full implementation of the project, alongside other initiatives, would connect Uzbekistan to a network of transit routes linking Asia and Europe. Mirziyoyev also stressed that Uzbekistan is working with China and Kyrgyzstan on the implementation of a major railway programme.

The fifth Tashkent International Investment Forum opened on Tuesday with the participation of officials from various countries, investors and representatives of international companies, and continued on Wednesday.

A Taliban delegation is also attending the event. Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan signed an agreement in February 2021 to build a 573-kilometre railway through Afghanistan.

The project is estimated to cost $4.8 billion and is intended to strengthen regional economic connectivity. Russia has previously stated that it is prepared to participate in the project.