Author: Sayed Hussain Hussainy

EXECUTIVE OVERVIEWA public forum on five years of restrictions and repressionOn 24 August 2026, Stockholm hosted “Empty Chairs, Silenced Voices: Five Years Under Taliban Rule”, a public event focused on the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan and on Sweden’s and the international community’s responsibilities. The programme brought together more than 70 participants from different parts of Swedish and Afghan society, including writers, civil society activists, women’s and human rights defenders, politicians and a representative of the Afghan Embassy in Stockholm.The programme combined personal testimonies from inside Afghanistan, a contribution from Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, a four-person panel discussion, the symbolic “Empty Chairs” installation and a musical performance in support of Afghan women. Download English PDF

OPEN LETTERTo:H.E. Mr. Sidharto Reza SuryodipuroPresident of the United Nations Human Rights CouncilH.E. Mr. Tahir Hussain AndrabiPermanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations Office at GenevaCc:Mr. Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human RightsWorking Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID)Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion andexpressionSpecial Rapporteur on the human rights of migrantsSubject: Urgent Appeal Under Special Procedures for Clarification of the Fate and Whereabouts of Sayed Qasim Hashemi and Hamed Ehsas — Serious Concerns of Enforced Disappearance in PakistanExcellencies,Human Rights Defenders Plus (HRD+) submits this urgent appeal regarding the continued enforced disappearance of two Afghan journalists and filmmakers, Sayed Qasim Hashemi and Hamed Ehsas, missing in Islamabad, Pakistan, since 4 July 2026 — a period now exceeding eighty days without any credible official account of their fate.I. Factual BackgroundBoth men fled Afghanistan following the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021 and sought international protection in Pakistan on account of the risks arising from their work as journalists, photographers and filmmakers.According to information provided by their families [and corroborated by: name specific source, e.g. media outlet or organization, with date], the two men disappeared in Islamabad on 4 July 2026. Their vehicle was subsequently located abandoned in the D-12 sector of Islamabad; neither man has been located since.We request that the Government of Pakistan place on the public record the status and outcome of each of these proceedings.II. Applicable Legal FrameworkPakistan is a State Party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which it ratified in 2010. The prolonged, unacknowledged deprivation of liberty described above engages, at minimum:Article 6 (right to life), insofar as enforced disappearance places the disappeared person outside the protection of the law and at heightened risk to life;Article 7…

Human Rights Defenders Plus (HRD+) welcomes the landmark decision by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to unseal four arrest warrants against senior Taliban leaders for the crime against humanity of persecution. Making these warrants public signals a concrete step toward dismantling impunity and exposing the de facto leadership responsible for systemic atrocities.According to the decision issued on Monday, judges unsealed warrants for Taliban Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani—whose existence was first announced in July 2025—as well as two additional suspects, Habibullah Agha and Neda Mohammad Nadim. The Court found reasonable grounds to believe these individuals are criminally responsible for persecution on gender and political grounds under Article 7(1)(h) of the Rome Statute, committed in Afghanistan since August 15, 2021.This development represents a vital milestone toward securing accountability and restoring human dignity in Afghanistan. Women, girls, and all others victimized by the Taliban’s oppressive policies not only deserve justice, but must also be empowered to claim ownership over the ICC process and other universal jurisdiction mechanisms concerning these crimes against humanity.HRD+ remains steadfast in its dedication to documenting violence, promoting human rights, and resisting the systemic dismantling of women’s rights in Afghanistan. We will continue to cooperate with international justice mechanisms to ensure long-term accountability.We stand with the victims in calling for the expansion of ICC warrants to include all perpetrators of violence in Afghanistan. Furthermore, we stress that the establishment and implementation of the independent Investigative Mechanism for Afghanistan-IIMA remains a paramount necessity to ensure the comprehensive documentation and preservation of evidence for all crimes committed.Finally, we urge all ICC State Parties to execute these arrest warrants by all available means, and to leverage domestic legal avenues through the principle of universal jurisdiction. As the ICC decision emphasizes, the Taliban’s persecution extends to…

EXECUTIVE SUMMARYThe side event examined the role of Afghan civil society in operationalizing the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Afghanistan (IIMA) during the 63rd session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva. The discussion brought together civil society representatives, human rights experts, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, and an audience participant to consider how the mechanism can contribute to documentation, accountability, victim support, and a broader transitional justice process.Throughout the discussion, speakers emphasized that the establishment of the mechanism should be understood as the beginning of a longer-term process. Its credibility and effectiveness were linked to its independence and transparency, as well as to meaningful and sustained civil society participation, victim- and survivor-centered approaches, the protection of human rights defenders, accessibility, and coordination with existing documentation and accountability efforts.Speakers also stressed that justice in Afghanistan cannot be reduced to criminal prosecution alone. The discussion highlighted the need to address the country’s longer history of conflict and multiple forms of harm, including gender-based violence and socioeconomic consequences. It also underscored the importance of reparations, truth-seeking, guarantees of non-recurrence, and the meaningful inclusion of marginalized communities. Download English PDF

Executive SummaryThe side event examined how to operationalize the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Afghanistan and how to strengthen coordination, survivor-centred accountability and prevention during the 62nd United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. Speakers emphasized that the establishment of the mechanism is an important institutional step, but that its effectiveness will depend on timely operationalization, adequate resources, strong leadership, coordination with existing accountability actors, and meaningful participation by Afghan civil society and survivors.A central theme was that survivors—particularly Afghan women and girls—should not be treated only as sources of evidence. Speakers stressed their role as rights holders, documenters, advocates and participants in shaping accountability priorities and strategies. The discussion also highlighted the importance of Afghan ownership, especially through women-led and locally rooted organizations.The event further underlined the need to connect documentation with concrete accountability pathways. The mechanism was discussed as part of a wider ecosystem that includes the Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan, the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice, UN entities, national courts exercising universal jurisdiction, and civil society organizations.Finally, speakers linked accountability with prevention and longer-term justice. They argued that violations should be examined in their broader structural context, that evidence should be preserved for future judicial and transitional justice processes, and that sustained political, financial and technical support from states will be necessary. Download English PDF

An Open Call to the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Australia, Canada, Germany, and the Kingdom of the Netherlands25 September 2026Two years after the announcement of the ICJ-CEDAW initiative on Afghanistan, the women of Afghanistan are calling for renewed action, greater transparency, and continued consultation on this important legal process.On September 25, 2024, Australia, Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands announced their commitment to hold the Taliban accountable for systemic violations of women’s and girls’ rights under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), potentially leading to a case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). We welcomed and were encouraged by this important and historic initiative.Today, as we mark the second anniversary of this announcement, we continue to witness a catastrophic deterioration in the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan. The Taliban have intensified their war against women to further entrench their institutionalized regime of gender apartheid. At the same time, there remains limited public information regarding the status and anticipated next steps of the CEDAW initiative. Given the severity and continuing escalation of violations, greater clarity regarding the process is increasingly important.The Taliban continue to issue new repressive laws and decrees, normalizing oppression and discrimination against women and girls and criminalizing any form of dissent. In early 2026, the Taliban introduced a Criminal Procedure Code that effectively grants impunity to gender-based violations, where an abusive husband faces a mere 15 days of imprisonment, only if the woman can show proof of bruises, wounds, and broken bones. Furthermore, the Decree on Separation of Spouses implicitly legalizes child marriage and strips away women’s fundamental agency in marital relationships.Additionally, the pervasive and widespread implementation of the ‘Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice’ (PVPV) law has resulted in a harsher, more violent crackdown on women and girls across the country. One recent example…

Excellencies,In the context of the 63rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC), we, the undersigned organizations, appeal to all delegations to support the full renewal of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan, and to ensure continued dedicated reporting and related Enhanced Interactive Dialogue focused on the rights of women and girls, to request an additional dedicated report on the situation of ethnic, religious, linguistically marginalized groups/communities followed by an interactive dialogue on their situation. The resolution should also call for the swift operationalisation of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Afghanistan (IIMA), established by the landmark HRC resolution 60/2, adopted by consensus in October 2025.As grave human rights violations remain pervasive in Afghanistan, amid a context of extreme repression, gender persecution, and a situation the Special Rapporteur has described as “gender apartheid,” continued scrutiny and engagement by the Human Rights Council remains essential.During the Special Rapporteur’s interactive dialogue of 7 and 8 September 2026, states expressed their condemnation of the human rights situation in Afghanistan, with many delegations asking what more they could do to respond to this dire situation. This letter sets out concrete steps the Council and Member States can take in response to that question.Five years since the Taliban’s return to power, the human rights situation in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate rather than stabilize. The de facto authorities have entrenched their rule through an ever-expanding architecture of decrees, directives and formal codes that strips away fundamental freedoms and institutionalises impunity. Arbitrary arrest, incommunicado and prolonged detention, torture and other ill-treatment, and enforced disappearances continue to be used against journalists, human rights defenders, former government officials, protesters and anyone perceived as critical of Taliban rule, including former security personnel targeted under a continuing, and largely unaddressed, pattern of reprisals. Corporal punishments, including floggings, and executions, are being carried out following the Taliban leadership’s order for…

Six senior members of the Women and Children Legal Research Foundation (WCLRF), who were detained by the Taliban intelligence on 18 July 2026 in Kabul, were held for weeks in an “unknown” location, and reports now indicate that their case has been referred to a military court.The undersigned Afghan civil society organisations express deep concern and call for their immediate and unconditional release, as well as an end to the arbitrary detention of human rights defenders, journalists, and civil society workers.On 21 June 2026, Taliban intelligence forces entered the WCLRF office in Kabul, confiscated the phones and laptops of staff members, searched and sealed the office, and interrogated staff about the organisation’s activities, including its online education programme for girls, women’s rights activities, human rights research and reporting, and communications with international organisations.On 18 July 2026, six senior members of the organisation were detained after being summoned under the pretext of collecting the confiscated equipment and were transferred to an unknown location.For approximately one month, their families had no information about their place of detention, health condition, or the charges against them—a situation that, under international law, constitutes enforced disappearance.Only last week was it established that they were being held at Taliban Intelligence Directorate 40, and some family members have been able to meet with them.Reports now indicate that the case of these individuals has been referred to a military court. The alleged charges reportedly relate to activities such as providing online education to girls and producing investigative reports—activities that are entirely peaceful and aimed at supporting the rights of women and girls.This Case Is Not an Exception, the case of the WCLRF employees is part of a broader pattern.Human Rights Watch also issued a separate statement on 12 August 2026 concerning the detention of the six WCLRF…

On 15th August 2021, the Taliban illegitimately seized control of Afghanistan, following the Western forces’ withdrawal from the country. Five years since their takeover, the Taliban’s oppressive rule continues to be marked by gender-based persecution, widespread violence and discrimination, ethno-religious domination, and systematic repression. Severe restrictions on civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights combined with the Taliban’s failure to address the country’s economic needs and security challenges have further deteriorated the human rights and humanitarian crises in Afghanistan.Taliban’s war on women, minorities, and gross violations of human rights in Afghanistan stem from both extreme ideological interpretations of religion as well as the group’s select political approach towards power centralization, securitization, and social control to continue their oppression in Afghanistan, in a state of absolute impunity.Gender ApartheidThe hallmark of Taliban’s rule has been its erasure of women and girls from public life. Through its various arbitrary edicts, decrees and regulations, the Taliban has established what UN human rights mechanisms have described as an “institutionalised system of discrimination, segregation, disrespect for human dignity and exclusion of women and girls”, a system that can be best described as gender apartheid.Taliban’s so-called Law on the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (PVPV), issued in 2024, imposes restrictions on women’s dress and public presence, reinforces requirements concerning male guardianship, and empowers morality officials to impose measures ranging from warnings to detention. Its recent Criminal Procedure Regulations introduced in January 2026 legitimises violence against women. Subsequent measures introduced in May 2026 restricts women’s ability to seek protection from domestic violence and removes minimum age of marriage normalising child marriage while the ban on education for women and girls remain along with other measures that remove women and girls from virtually every sphere of public and private life.Institutionalised Repression and Rule by DecreeThe Taliban has replaced Afghanistan’s system of governance with a…

Five years after the Taliban returned to power on 15 August 2021, Afghanistan has undergone one of the most profound reversals of human rights in its contemporary history. Along with the international community rightly focused on gender apartheid, the exclusion of women and girls from public life, and the collapse of democratic institutions, another dimension of the Taliban's policies needs to be underlined: systematic erosion of human dignity and the right to privacy.Since August 2021, Taliban has issued hundreds of decrees, directives, verbal orders, and administrative instructions affecting nearly every aspect of everyday life. These measures extend far beyond regulating public institutions. They increasingly regulate personal appearance, family relations, education, employment, communication, religious practice, movement, cultural expression, and even activities inside private homes. The cumulative effect is the transformation of Afghanistan into a society governed not merely through law but through pervasive surveillance, fear, and moral control.This report of HRD+ argues that the Taliban's restrictions should not be understood as isolated violations of individual rights. Rather, they constitute an integrated system of governance that progressively dismantles personal autonomy and replaces rights-based governance with ideological control. This governance model undermines the legal protections guaranteed under international human rights law, including the right to privacy under Article 17 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and erodes the institutional foundations necessary for justice, economic development, and sustainable peace.Drawing upon a chronology of Taliban decrees and directives issued between August 2021 and June 2026, this report identifies recurring patterns of state intrusion into private life, institutional dismantling, arbitrary punishment, and surveillance. It concludes that the destruction of human dignity is not only a humanitarian concern but also a structural obstacle to Afghanistan's future recovery. Policy Brief - English PDF Policy Brief - Persian PDF