Current:Home > StocksThe Taliban have waged a systematic assault on freedom in Afghanistan, says UN human rights chief-LoTradeCoin
The Taliban have waged a systematic assault on freedom in Afghanistan, says UN human rights chief
View Date:2024-12-23 23:37:11
ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Taliban have waged a systematic assault on the freedom of Afghanistan’s people, including women and girls experiencing “immeasurably cruel” oppression, the U.N.'s human rights chief said Tuesday.
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said that human rights are in a state of collapse in Afghanistan more than two years after the Taliban returned to power and stripped back institutional protections at all levels. He urged U.N. member states to help fill the void.
“The shocking level of oppression of Afghan women and girls is immeasurably cruel,” Turk said during a meeting of the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva. “Afghanistan has set a devastating precedent as the only country in the world where women and girls are denied access to secondary and higher education.”
The Taliban regained control of Afghanistan on August 15, 2021, as U.S and NATO forces withdrew from the country after more than two decades of war. They initially promised a more moderate approach than during they during their previous rule from 1996 to 2001 but gradually reimposed their harsh interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia.
Along with excluding girls and women from education beyond sixth grade, most forms of employment and many public spaces, the Taliban have harassed or beaten women at checkpoints for failing to wear a hijab, or Islamic headscarf, according to a report Turk presented to the Human Rights Council. They have ordered women to return home from markets for shopping without a male guardian.
With female lawyers and judges excluded from working or practicing law, women and girls have less ability to obtain legal representation and access to justice, the report stated.
The Taliban edicts have prompted an international outcry. But officials, including the supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, have told other countries to stop interfering in Afghanistan’s internal affairs.
Nobody from the Taliban was immediately available for comment on the U.N. report.
veryGood! (488)
Related
- Engines on 1.4 million Honda vehicles might fail, so US regulators open an investigation
- Florida bird rescuers shocked by rare visitors: Puffins
- If Mornings Make You Miserable, These Problem-Solving Finds Will Help You Get It Together
- Inside the SAG Awards: A mostly celebratory mood for 1st show since historic strike
- Gavin Rossdale Makes Rare Public Appearance With Girlfriend Xhoana Xheneti
- Star Trek Actor Kenneth Mitchell Dead at 49
- Ukraine-Russia war hits 2-year mark with Kyiv desperate for more U.S. support and fearing abandonment
- This Modern Family Reunion at the 2024 SAG Awards Will Fill Your Heart
- Are banks, post offices, UPS and FedEx open on Veterans Day? Here's what to know
- Alpha Artificial Intelligence AI4.0 - Destined to be a Revolutionary Tool in the Investment World
Ranking
- College football Week 12 expert picks for every Top 25 game include SEC showdowns
- Odysseus moon lander tipped over on its side during historic mission. How did that happen?
- Inside the SAG Awards: A mostly celebratory mood for 1st show since historic strike
- Stock market today: Asian shares mostly decline, while Tokyo again touches a record high
- Cruise ship rescues 4 from disabled catamaran hundreds of miles off Bermuda, officials say
- If Mornings Make You Miserable, These Problem-Solving Finds Will Help You Get It Together
- Amy Schumer has been diagnosed with Cushing syndrome after criticism about 'puffier' face
- Inside the SAG Awards: A mostly celebratory mood for 1st show since historic strike
Recommendation
-
Today Reveals Hoda Kotb's Replacement
-
2024 SAG Awards: Glen Powell Reacts to Saving Romcoms and Tom Cruise
-
Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt have a 'Devil Wears Prada' reunion at SAG Awards
-
From 'The Holdovers' to 'Past Lives,' track your Oscar movie watching with our checklist
-
Controversial comedian Shane Gillis announces his 'biggest tour yet'
-
When does 'The Voice' Season 25 start? 2024 premiere date, time, coaches, where to watch
-
Shane Gillis struggles in a 'Saturday Night Live' monologue which avoids the obvious
-
Must-Have Plant Accessories for Every Kind of Plant Parent