Amnesty International called on United Nations member states to act, in the face of the deteriorating human rights situation in Afghanistan, and ensure justice for victims of Taliban abuses. The hardline Islamists have unlawfully detained women’s rights defenders, academics and activists for their public criticism, the rights group said. Many have been arbitrarily arrested, with no legal remedy or access to their families. Amnesty further said the Taliban, are not willing nor able to investigate actions by their members, that grossly violate the human rights of Afghans. Therefore, the Britain-based non-governmental organization is calling for the establishment of an independent investigative mechanism in the country. ‘The human rights situation in Afghanistan is deteriorating rapidly, and the Taliban’s relentless abuses continue every single day,’ said Agnès Callamard, Amnesty’s secretary general. The rights group said it has documented crimes committed by the Taliban members since their return to power such as the detention of women’s rights defenders, journalists and civilians in Panjshir province, as well as mass killings of the Hazara ethnic group in three other provinces. ‘It is time for the international community to follow up their repeated public statements with concrete action,’ Callamard said.
Source: Ghana News Agency