UN official condemns use of force to suppress women’s protests in Afghanistan

Kabul [Afghanistan], August 15 (ANI): UN’s special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett condemned the “use of excessive force” to suppress women’s protests, calling it a breach of their right to freedom of expression.
Condemning the Taliban’s actions publicly, he condemned the Taliban’s actions and stated that they had disrupted peaceful assembly by firing rifle bullets, inducing intimidation, Khaama Press reported.
Taking to Twitter, UN official, Bennett wrote, “use of force and mistreatment against women’s “peaceful” demonstration in Kabul is a breach of their right to freedom of assembly and association.”
As per Khaama Press, the Taliban reportedly arrested some journalists and protested women while suppressing the women’s march in Kabul that shouted the slogans “bread, work, and freedom.”
Earlier also, UN experts cautioned that Afghanistan’s future is “bleak” if more is not done to improve the deteriorating human rights situation, especially for women and girls.
Since they took control of the country in August 2021, the Taliban have violated women’s and girls’ rights to education, work, and free movement and decimated the system of protection and support for those fleeing domestic violence. The group has also detained women and girls for minor violations of discriminatory rules and contributed to a surge in the rates of child, early and forced marriage in Afghanistan.
Various rights group is calling on the Taliban to implement major policy changes and measures to uphold the rights of women and girls.
Since seizing control of Afghanistan in August 2021, the Taliban has been the country’s de facto authorities. Despite initial public commitments to uphold the rights of women and girls, the Taliban introduced policies of systematic discrimination that violate their rights.
Women and girls across Afghanistan reacted to this crackdown with a wave of protests. In response, the Taliban targeted protesters with harassment and abuse, arbitrary arrest and detention, enforced disappearance, and physical and psychological torture. (ANI)