In a compelling appeal on 20 March 2025, a coalition of States led by Iceland urged the UN Human Rights Council to create a mechanism for investigating severe human rights violations in Afghanistan. This statement came during the Council’s general debate, spotlighting the urgent need for a comprehensive mandate aimed at pursuing accountability for both past and ongoing international crimes and grave human rights abuses in the country.
Numerous human rights groups from Afghanistan, the region, and internationally have long advocated for such an independent accountability mechanism. Its mission: to gather, preserve, and present evidence that could aid bodies like the International Criminal Court and national jurisdictions in prosecuting those responsible for heinous crimes and violations of human rights.
By publicly endorsing the calls of these civil society groups—a position supported by the Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan—the coalition of States demonstrates a commitment to not abandon the Afghan people amidst oppression by the Taliban. This resolve counters the diminishing effectiveness of multilateral processes and offers leadership during critical human rights crises.
The message is clear: States must maintain Afghanistan on the international agenda and establish the proposed accountability mechanism to pursue justice against perpetrators of human rights violations. Pooja Patel from ISHR emphasised the need for the Human Rights Council to respond urgently and vote for a resolution to create this vital framework for accountability in Afghanistan.
In related discussions at the Human Rights Council’s 58th session, ISHR highlighted the challenges faced by women human rights defenders in China, while celebrating the achievements of Zholia Parsi from Afghanistan and Manuchehr Kholiqnazarov from Tajikistan, who are recipients of the 2024 Martin Ennals Award for their courageous advocacy in oppressive environments.
A coalition of States led by Iceland has urged the UN Human Rights Council to create an independent accountability mechanism for Afghanistan to address serious human rights violations. This call, supported by various human rights groups, stresses the importance of evidence collection to aid prosecutions of perpetrators. The initiative highlights international commitment to ensuring justice for the Afghan people against the Taliban’s abuses.
The call from the coalition of States for an accountability mechanism in Afghanistan reflects a critical response to ongoing human rights violations under Taliban rule. With support from human rights advocates and institutions, this initiative seeks to bring perpetrators to justice and uphold the dignity of the Afghan people. The urgency highlighted by ISHR and other organisations reinforces the need for sustained international attention and effective action to combat grievous rights abuses.
Original Source: ishr.ch
