Photo credit: X/@WomanProtesters
CIVICUS, a global civil society alliance remains extremely concerned about the ongoing assault on civic space in Afghanistan, three years after the Taliban takeover. We call on the international community to do more to protect human rights defenders and to hold the Taliban accountable for the ongoing violations in the country.
Following the Taliban takeover in August 2021, the CIVICUS Monitor documented widespread reports of restrictions and attacks on civil society. Women human rights defenders were arbitrarily arrested and detained while others faced abductions harassment, intimidation, and violence by the Taliban with impunity. The ongoing crackdown on protests, especially by women were also documented. Journalists and media outlets were targeted, forcing many to self-censor.
Over the past year, the alarming trend of arbitrary arrests and detentions of human rights defenders has persisted. Many have been subjected to torture and ill-treatment while in detention. In March 2023, Afghanistan civic space rating was downgraded from ‘repressed’ to ‘closed’, the worst rating a country can receive.
In September 2023, Neda Parwani and Zholia Parsi were detained after raids on their homes. In November 2023, Parisa Azada, a member of the Afghan Women’s Movement for Justice and Freedom was detained for 40 days because of her fight for justice, and being outspoken about the Taliban’s violations of women’s rights
Nabila Rahimi, a health educator and rights activist from northern Takhar province, was detained from her office in November 2023 and beaten by Taliban soldiers during her arrest. In February 2024, Manizha Siddiqi of the Spontaneous Movement of Afghan Women was reportedly sentenced to two years prison, allegedly for her involvement in protests. Siddiqi did not have access to a defence lawyer, was denied family visits and was subject to torture and ill-treatment.
At the international level, it is alarming that Afghan women human rights defenders have been excluded from international talks including the most recent meeting in Qatar in February 2024. Such meetings have also ignored important discussions on human rights and women’s rights. Further, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, has also raised concerns that states are moving towards normalising their relationship with the Taliban without a reduction in restrictions on civic space.
“It is crucial civil society especially Afghan women human rights defenders are not sidelined in any international discussions on the future of the country. The international community should withhold recognition of the Taliban as a legitimate government until they adhere to international human rights standards, including those related to the rights protecting the activities of activists, journalists and civil society groups. It must also hold the Taliban accountable for their crimes," said Rajavelu Karunanithi, CIVICUS Advocacy and Campaigns Officer for Asia.
Over the year, other critics of the Taliban have also been detained for speaking up including academics, writers, artists and musicians.
Taliban brutality and arbitrary detentions at rallies have nearly eradicated public demonstrations. Remarkably, even in the face of such severe threats to their safety, some groups continue to organise events online to keep their struggle visible to both the de facto authorities’ and the international agenda. Many women’s groups hold up banners and take photos and videos of the indoor rallies to share on social media and through their networks both at domestically and internationally.
Journalists also continue to be targeted with arrest and harassment. The Afghanistan Journalists Center, an organisation that monitors violations of media freedom, released a report in March 2024 stating that 59 journalists were detained during that period. In addition to the detentions, 80 media workers were also threatened.
““Three years on, the Taliban’s continued targeting of human rights defenders and critics has created a climate of fear, with many fearing arrest, torture, or even death for their activism. Governments must increase pressure on the Taliban to end this repression and release all those detained for peacefully exercising their rights” said Karunanithi.
Civic space in Afghanistan is rated ‘closed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor.
