Amnesty International and the International Commission of Jurists in a joint report said the “Taliban’s severe restrictions and unlawful crackdown on women and girls’ rights should be investigated as possible crimes under international law.”
The report presents a “detailed legal analysis of how the Taliban’s draconian restrictions on the rights of Afghanistan’s women and girls, together with the use of imprisonment, enforced disappearance, torture and other ill-treatment, could amount to the crime against humanity of gender persecution under Article 7(1)(h) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).”
Girls above grade six have been banned from attending school since the Islamic Emirate came to power. Last December, the interim government in two decrees banned women from going to universities and working at NGOs.Female students have repeatedly urged the interim government to reopen their schools and universities.
“We call on the Islamic Emirate to provide work opportunities for women and to reopen universities and schools for girls,” said Raihan, a student.
“Some of the families have the responsibility of their families. They need to pay the expenses themselves,” said Diba Poya, a student.
The Islamic Emirate said that rights women for women are preserved within an Islamic structure.
“We deny it. They should understand the realities. The women maintain dignity within the isamic Emirate’s umbrella. They are saved from aggression and harassment. Of course, they also work within the government’s body. Thousands of our women and our sisters are working in health and education centers and also in other sectors,” Mujahid said.
The international community has made ensuring human rights one the main conditions to consider in recognizing the interim Afghan government.—Tolonews
