Afghanistan Times Latest News and Analysis from Afghanistan and the Region
Related Articles
KABUL – The United Nations Human Rights Council has announced the creation of a formal probe into alleged human rights violations in Afghanistan, amid growing concern over restrictions on women and the worsening humanitarian situation across the country.
The resolution, introduced by the European Union and adopted without a vote on Monday in Geneva, establishes an independent investigative mechanism to collect and preserve evidence of potential international crimes. The move comes four years after Afghanistan’s change in leadership, which led to the reintroduction of strict social policies.
EU representatives said the decision reflects the international community’s “duty to stand in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan,” citing the severe limits imposed on women’s education, work, and movement. “The human rights situation has deteriorated amidst a deepening humanitarian crisis,” said Denmark’s ambassador Ib Petersen.
The new mechanism will document and analyse abuses — including those targeting women and girls — and prepare case files that could one day support criminal proceedings. “It will preserve testimonies and stories of victims so justice is not lost to history,” an EU spokesperson told AFP.
Several member states, including Colombia, condemned what they described as “institutionalised discrimination and exclusion of women from public life,” while China distanced itself from the resolution, arguing that it ignored “positive progress” made in Afghanistan.
Human rights groups welcomed the move as an essential step toward accountability. “This sends a message that those responsible for grave abuses will eventually face justice,” said Fereshta Abbasi of Human Rights Watch.
Despite repeated international criticism, Afghan authorities maintain that their policies are consistent with the country’s cultural and religious values, and have urged foreign governments not to interfere in domestic affairs.
