Reports

Following the seizure of political power by the Taliban in Afghanistan, they began imposing restrictions on the civil and political freedoms of the Afghan people. Over time, these restrictions have expanded, depriving the country's citizens of their civil liberties. Recently, the Taliban's de facto administration has imposed more restrictions and constraints on free, political, and social media, labelling some of them as 'violating national interests.' These restrictions are specifically imposed on women, with some media outlets instructed not to publish women's voices (phone calls). Furthermore, the suppression of media freedom and freedom of expression not only severely limits citizens' right to access reliable information but also restricts media spaces, leading to widespread human rights violations and violence, while the lack of media oversight grants impunity to human rights violators. The irresponsible conduct of the Taliban is in opposition to all national and international values and laws, leaving the country's citizens deprived of their most fundamental human rights. Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights recognize media freedom and freedom of expression as the most important human rights principles for human society and obligate the international community to uphold them. We strongly urge the Human Rights Committee, the monitoring body of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of the United Nations, to consider legal and political assessments and to seek more rigorous mechanisms to uphold civil freedoms in Afghanistan. We specifically draw the attention of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan to reflect on these restrictions. We call upon Mr. Richard Bennett to coordinate with relevant UN bodies and other regional and international institutions to mitigate these violations. We call upon all civil institutions inside and outside the country…

As a committed institution to women's rights equality, the Human Rights Defender Plus (HRD+) commemorates International Women's Day on March 8th and draws attention to the painful reality of women's lives in Afghanistan. Afghan women have been enduring the worst and most challenging times of their lives due to the spread and increase of poverty, unemployment, despair, uncertainty, lack of social security, and continuous violations of civil and political rights over the past two and a half years. Now that women and their rights are at the center of attention on this important day in the global calendar, the HRD+ presents the following demands:HRD+ urges the international community to include the issue of women's rights as a precondition or at least one of the fundamental issues on their agenda in negotiations regarding Afghanistan.Our demand from the world is to officially recognize gender apartheid as a crimes against humanity. This will lead to the creation and strengthening of effective mechanisms in international law to combat systematic discrimination against women worldwide, including Afghan women.HRD+ calls on monitoring bodies for human rights conventions to pay more attention to the situation of Afghan women than ever before and provide clear and firm recommendations to the international community in this regard.HRD+ urges the UN Special Rapporteur for Afghanistan to search for solutions to inspect and monitor prisons and detention facilities for women in Afghanistan and thereby strive to eliminate or reduce repeated torture and mistreatment against women activists.HRD+ asks all civil institutions, human rights activists, intellectuals, informed personalities, and artists to raise the voices of women for freedom and equality, which, despite the suffocating situation, are still heard in Kabul and provinces, and to support this courageous advocacy.HRD+ insists that national and international media strenuously strengthen the position of women in their current…

Worldwide, the increasing use of hate speech is posing challenges to inclusive democratic participation as well as access to critical rights, such as freedom from discrimination and violence. Recognizing the need to engage civil society, media and other electoral stakeholders in countering hate speech in Afghanistan, this toolkit serves as a resource guide for how to effectively counter hate speech while protecting the right to freedom of speech and protection. The toolkit contains an introduction to international principles as well as domestic legislation related to countering hate speech; global best practice examples; and practical strategies and steps for countering hate speech in country. Click to download pdf More Interviews: Civil Society Report on Implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities February 20, 2017 Annual Report National Unity Government’s Reconciliation with Gulbuddin Hekmatyar The prospects for peace, justice and human rights in Afghanistan Civil Society and Human Rights Network Afghanistan November 26, 2016 Reports The 8th General Assembly of CSHRN February 18, 2015 Annual Report CSHRN UPR Report 2014 February 17, 2015 Annual Report 1 2 3 4 … 11 Next

Context Peace talks with the Taliban and other insurgent groups who are fighting the Afghan government, has been the essential part of Afghan government policy since 2001. Despite the efforts of nearly one a half decades and many political and financial investment for peace process, violent conflict has been intensified leaving enormous military and civilian casualties. Issue of peace talk with the Taliban is frequently raised in winter (No-war season) by media, but without tangible results, another war season arrives and the Taliban continue to fight Afghan government and people with more power and casualties. In spite of more than a decade of efforts to reconcile with the Taliban and reach sustainable peace, it seems no tangible result and even no positive prospect for peace and stability. However, National Unity Government (NUG) signed a peace agreement with Mr. Hekmatyar recently which apparently signals a practical step towards peace process and reconciliation. Despite having wide media coverage, it has indicate less concerns neither about victims of conflict nor views of Afghan civil society and human rights peace activists. The recent peace agreement and extra order of president to implement it along with comparing to the Afghan government’s international human rights commitments and obligations have raised questions, concerns and arguments for civil society, human rights organizations and also the victims of human rights violation. Therefore, Afghan civil society organizations and human rights activist want to discuss and open up a dialogue on issues related to the recent peace agreement. The international human commitments of Afghan government in one hand and negligence of the victim’s rights in recent peace agreement, women’s participation in the peace process, prospects for national reconciliation and peace in the country as well as the consequences of political, security and negligence of human rights values in the…