The position paper by the Human Rights Defenders (HRD+)“Three years after the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan.”
The people of Afghanistan have endured three years of challenging conditions involving restrictions on human rights, widespread poverty, and a lack of legitimacy and the rule of law. During this period, the de facto Taliban administration imposed a dictatorial, religious extremist rule on society and banned citizens' freedoms. The Taliban disregarded the right to political participation, a foundational citizen right, and failed to establish any mechanism for national legitimacy. This lack of national legitimacy has led to a void in international legitimacy and isolated Afghanistan from the global community.Over the past three years, our people have experienced widespread human rights abuses, with women bearing the brunt of the social crisis. Children have faced hardships in the harsh economic and social environment, while poverty and unemployment have increased. Citizens have waited in long lines to obtain passports in order to leave Afghanistan. Reports from global sources indicate that Afghanistan is currently facing a humanitarian crisis, with a significant number of citizens suffering from mental health issues and depression. Due to the restrictions on human rights, the international community has been unable to provide the necessary support to the people of Afghanistan.Over the past three years, civil society actors, human rights activists, and women's rights defenders have faced threats, torture, and imprisonment. The Taliban have not hesitated to use inhumane treatment against their opponents and critics, leaving society in complete turmoil and distress. A large number of intellectuals and experts have left the country.The HRD+, considering the inhumane actions of the Taliban in the past three years, raises the following points:First, the de facto Taliban administration is not representative of the people of Afghanistan and has been imposed on our people by force and coercion. We urge all national and international actors to pressure and impose further restrictions on the…