Reports

SummarySince the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, Afghanistan has witnessed fundamental changes in its political and social structure. One of the most striking features of this period is the issuance of a broad set of decrees and directives that have directly restricted the rights and freedoms of women and girls. An examination of the list of these decrees indicates that Taliban’s actions are not merely ad-hoc or short-term decisions, but part of a it is a ongoing process to redefine the role of women in society and limit their presence in the public sphere.These policies cover various areas of social life, including access to education, economic participation, freedom of movement, media presence, and social participation. Restrictions on girls’ education from secondary to university levels, banning women from working in many government departments and non-governmental organizations, imposing broad restrictions on women’s freedom of movement, and monitoring their social dress and behavior are among the most important of these measures. In addition to these restrictions, the role of the Ministry of Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice and the implementation of public punishments have also been used as tools for social surveillance and control.An analysis of these policies shows that the Taliban have gradually developed a type of gender governance model that is based on gender segregation, control of social behavior, and limitation of women’s role in the public sphere. In this context, women have been increasingly excluded from the education system, labor market, public spaces, and social decision-making processes.The consequences of these policies are not limited to women’s rights but also have far-reaching implications for Afghanistan’s social and economic development. Reduced women’s access to education can lead to a shortage of skilled manpower in sectors such as education and health in the long run. The…

We are deeply concerned by the rapidly unfolding situation between the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the de facto authorities in Afghanistan. The escalation of cross-border hostilities in recent weeks has placed civilian lives, regional stability, and long-standing economic ties under grave threat.Over the past weeks, exchanges of military strikes and confrontations have intensified along the shared border, including air operations and ground clashes that both Islamabad and Kabul have described as significant escalations of a conflict that has simmered for years. Pakistan’s defence authorities have described the situation as a state of “open war”, citing repeated cross-border attacks and pledging further operations, and de facto authorities have openly condemned strikes on its cities and border provinces as breaches of sovereignty.Amid this violent escalation, the humanitarian toll has already mounted. UNAMA has documented 146 civilian casualties including the confirmed death of children and women.Afghanistan has endured nearly five decades of war, displacement, forced returns, and recurrent cycles of violence, leaving millions of families vulnerable and economically fragile. The intensifying confrontation threatens to worsen conditions for communities on both sides of the border, including refugee families, internally displaced persons, traders, and labourers whose livelihoods depend on peaceful cross-border economic activity. Restriction of movement and closure of border crossings already undermine trade, access to goods and services, and traditional economic livelihood patterns that have historically supported border-region families.As Iran, Afghanistan’s western neighbour, remains embroiled in conflict, the growing number of people living in poverty is likely to face worsening livelihood scarcity and rising inflation, largely due to the disruption of regional trade. We therefore urge the de facto authorities to immediately ensure secure trade routes, including with Pakistan, to help alleviate the economic hardship faced by the population amid heightened regional tensions, which have left millions of civilians struggling to…

Civil Society joint statement addressing the ongoing and grave human rights concerns in Afghanistan. This statement reflects a collective commitment by civil society partners to uphold fundamental rights, accountability, and justice.We invite our partners, media colleagues, and supporters to read the full statement and share it widely. Broad engagement and coordinated advocacy are essential to amplifying the voices of affected communities and advancing principled international action.We remain committed to continued collaboration in support of the people of Afghanistan. Download English PDF Download Persian PDF Download Pashto PDF

Human Rights Defenders Plus (HRD+) issues this statement to draw the urgent attention of the international community to the serious and systematic violations of the cultural rights of the citizens of Afghanistan.Based on documented reports and published images, the Taliban have collected musical instruments in the provinces of Parwan and Laghman and publicly set them on fire. The deliberate dissemination of images of this act on social media reflects a targeted approach aimed at suppressing the art of music and creating an atmosphere of intimidation against artists across the country.The public destruction of musical instruments sends a threatening message to artists, musicians, and all individuals whose identity and livelihood are connected to art. When artistic tools are set ablaze, a legitimate and profound concern arises as to what fate may await the human beings who embody that very culture and artistic expression.This act constitutes a clear violation of fundamental cultural rights recognized in authoritative international instruments, including:The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (particularly Article 27)The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (particularly Article 19)The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (particularly Article 15)The right to participate in cultural life, to enjoy the arts, and to access cultural heritage are inalienable rights of all human beings.Moreover, under current policies, art in Afghanistan has effectively been rendered prohibited, and artistic activities under Taliban rule are subject to extensive restrictions. Artists, poets, and cultural actors face systematic exclusion, severe limitations, and security threats. Many remain in precarious and uncertain conditions, seeking safe pathways to continue their lives and professional activities, while their sources of livelihood and professional identity have been severely undermined.We call upon the Special Procedures of the United Nations Human Rights Council, particularly the Special Rapporteurs in the field of cultural rights, and the situation of…

Date: 23/01/2026The Taliban have issued on 4th of January 2026 a document entitled “Criminal Procedure Code for Courts” which is claimed to have entered into force and to be binding following its signature by Hibatullah Akhundzada as the Taliban leader. On its face, the document is presented as a framework for regulating the judicial and administrative affairs of the courts. However, a careful examination shows that it is incompatible with the fundamental standards of public law, the principles of fair trial, and the accepted rules of international law. In reality, the main problem with this document is not limited merely to its content, but lies in its legal nature itself; because both formally and substantively, the text lacks the essential elements required to be recognised as a law or a valid legal norm.In the philosophy of law and norm theory, a rule is considered law only when it is produced within a coherent legal system, enjoys social and political legitimacy, is compatible with principles of justice and human dignity, and is expressed through proper legal language and structure. Accordingly, not every signed text or decree issued by a ruling power necessarily creates law; rather, it acquires legal validity only when it embodies fundamental criteria such as clarity, certainty, predictability, general applicability, non-discrimination, proportionality, and accountability. When a document lacks these criteria, at best it is a political directive, and at worst, an instrument for consolidating domination and legitimising structural violence. In other words, such a text does not limit power; instead, it absolutizes power and strips rights of their civilising function.The Taliban’s charter faces a profound crisis precisely at this point. A document intended to regulate the judicial system must clearly define the jurisdiction of courts, procedural principles, the right to defence, standards of proof, judicial independence, mechanisms…

Date: 23/01/2026Human Rights Defenders Plus (HRD+) considers the Taliban’s new regulation issued on 4th of January 2026 as Criminal Procedure Code for Courts to be a document that institutionalises systematic human rights violations and consolidates rule by coercion—a document founded neither on the will of the people, nor on law, nor on accepted legal standards. By imposing an ideological and exclusive interpretation of religion, this regulation severely restricts and strips away fundamental human rights.This regulation stands in clear contradiction to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and international covenants, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.HRD+ emphasises that:This regulation lacks legal and moral legitimacy and cannot serve as the basis for a just order.The international community has a duty to formally condemn it and to refrain from any form of normalisation.Accountability and targeted sanctions against those who order and perpetrate violations must be pursued.Practical and immediate support for victims—especially women, youth, and minorities—must be strengthened.HRD+ warns that silence and inaction in the face of this regulation amount to the gradual acceptance of institutionalised violence, structural discrimination, and the erasure of human dignity in Afghanistan. Historical experience has shown that no system built on coercion, fear, and the denial of humanity can endure.We once again reaffirm our commitment to defending human dignity, fundamental freedoms, and justice without discrimination, and we call upon all international institutions, states, awakened consciences, and human rights defenders to adopt a clear, responsible, and effective stance against this evident historical regression. Download English PDF Download Persian PDF Decree Document PDF

AbstractFrom 8 to 10 October 2025, as an initiative emerging from Afghan civil society and within the framework of the Permanent People’s Tribunal, headquartered in Italy, the People’s Tribunal for Afghan Women was convened in Madrid. This tribunal was widely welcomed by Afghan public opinion, and its proceedings were broadcast live by the media and shared transparently.The organisation of this tribunal was the result of a joint initiative proposed by four dynamic human rights organisations: the Afghanistan Human Rights and Democracy Organisation (AHRDO), the Organization for Policy Research and Development (DROPS), Rawadari, and Human Rights Defenders Plus (HRD+). Since beginning 2024, these four civil society organisations have persistently advocated at the international level for the establishment of a people’s tribunal in support of human rights in Afghanistan.Accordingly, it was essential for these organisations to provide precise evidence and information to the International People’s Tribunal in order to confirm the appropriate conditions for convening a special tribunal dedicated to supporting the rights of Afghan women. Ultimately, after sustained efforts and the submission of analyses, reports, and documentation on the human rights situation of women in Afghanistan, the International People’s Tribunal reviewed and approved the proposal—an achievement that constitutes a major milestone in human rights advocacy.This article adopts the descriptive and an analytical approach to introduce the function of people’s tribunals to Afghan and international audiences. Particular attention is given to their background, methods of operation, and role, followed by a primary focus on the People’s Tribunal in support of Afghan women. A significant number of civil society organisations and human rights activists operate outside the country and maintain links with governments, international structures, and global civil and human rights institutions. In addition, many Afghan youths are studying at universities around the world. This article seeks to inform and connect these dynamic groups so…

Human Rights Defenders Plus (HRD+) expresses its deep and grave concern and strongly condemns the arrest of Ms. Nazera Rashidi, a committed journalist in Kunduz province, carried out by the Taliban intelligence services. This action constitutes a clear and systematic violation of fundamental freedoms, particularly freedom of expression, freedom of the media, and women’s rights in Afghanistan.According to credible information, Ms. Rashidi was arrested on Tuesday morning at around 8:00 a.m., after receiving a phone call and while leaving her private residence. Local sources confirm that at the time of her arrest she was suffering from poor physical health and that she had previously been subjected to repeated threats and pressure due to her professional media activities.The arbitrary arrest of Nazera Rashidi is a blatant violation of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees the right to freedom of opinion and expression, including the right to seek, receive, and impart information through any media and regardless of frontiers. The suppression of journalists, especially women journalists, represents a direct breach of this fundamental principle.This action also stands in complete contradiction to Article 20 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which rejects any form of coercion, threat, or organized repression that results in the violation of individuals’ basic rights. The arrest of journalists for carrying out their professional duties is a clear example of abuse of power and a violation of international obligations.Furthermore, the Taliban’s treatment of Ms. Rashidi constitutes a comprehensive violation of the principles and commitments enshrined in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), which obliges states to eliminate structural discrimination against women in all spheres, including access to work, freedom of expression, social participation, and personal security. Targeting women journalists reflects entrenched gender…

The Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal (PPT) is an international organisation competent to rule on any serious crime committed against people and minorities. A request was submitted by Rawadari, the Afghanistan Human Rights and Democracy Organisations (AHRDO), the Organisation for Policy Research and Development Studies (DROPS) and Human Rights Defender Plus, for the launch of a People’s Tribunal for Women of Afghanistan before the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal, to address the impunity around gender persecution in Afghanistan.The request led to the submission of an Indictment, followed by public hearings on the situation of women in Afghanistan, which were held in Madrid at the ICAM, located at Calle de Serrano 9, from October 8 to 10, 2025. Following the procedures outlined in the PPT Statute [1], the Indictment was recognised as fully in line with the Tribunal’s competences and terms of reference, as documented in the series of Judgements adopted by the Tribunal over the past four decades.A few introductory remarks could be useful for better understanding both the procedures and the historical, cultural and legal background of the PPT, which was formally established in 1979 as a follow-up to the two Russell Tribunals on Vietnam (1966–1967) and Latin American dictatorships (1974–1976). The PPT is a tool designed to promote and monitor the implementation of the Universal Declaration of the Rights of Peoples [2], which was proclaimed in Algiers on 4 July 1976. As the decolonisation process reached its official conclusion, it became evident that the States’ interpretation of the universality of human rights was, in practice, effectively transforming people from their collective identity as subjects with inviolable personal and collective rights into objects, and thus also victims of violations of their rights in a context of full impunity. This transformation occurred in the absence of an independent international court recognised and…

11 December 2025Today’s judgment by the People’s Tribunal for Women of Afghanistan is a historic and decisive affirmation of what Afghan women have been saying for more than four years: that the systematic erasure of women from public life under Taliban rule is not merely discrimination, but a crime under international law.The Tribunal has ruled that the Taliban and the de facto authorities in Afghanistan are responsible for crimes against humanity, including gender persecution. This gives further moral and political weight to the lived reality of millions of Afghan women and girls who have been stripped of their rights to education, work, healthcare, freedom of movement, and public participation.This Tribunal was created because Afghan women have been denied justice at every level. Today’s judgment makes clear that their suffering is not invisible, not forgotten, and not beyond the reach of international law. The world now has a formal legal record of what is happening in Afghanistan. There can now be no claim of uncertainty, ambiguity, or lack of evidence. What remains is the political will to act.This Tribunal would not have been possible without the courage of the witnesses. We honor the extraordinary women who came forward to testify from inside Afghanistan and in exile, often at great personal risk. Their testimony, their stories, their words shaped this judgment. Their voices now form part of the international legal record and cannot be erased.This judgement also delivers a clear message to the international community. Silence, inaction, delays, normalization, or engagement without conditionality are no longer defensible. Engagement that ignores women’s rights can now carry legal, political, and moral consequences.Today, we, the undersigned organizations, demand that governments, international institutions, and the United Nations to act without delay to:Deliver a direct, clear, united and powerful message to the Taliban that their…