AODHR

To:
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Amnesty International

Urgent Human Rights Appeal

We write to express our profound outrage and deep concern over the brutal killing of an Afghan refugee woman, Fatima (30), and her three young children, whose bodies were discovered hanging inside their residence in the Sohrab Goth area of Karachi, Pakistan. This horrific incident represents a grave violation of the most fundamental human rights, including the right to life, safety, and human dignity.

This atrocity is not an isolated case. In recent months, multiple Afghan refugees, including a married couple in Islamabad, have been subjected to violent and fatal attacks. These repeated incidents reveal an alarming pattern of insecurity, lack of protection, and systemic failure to safeguard Afghan migrants—particularly women and children—who are among the most vulnerable populations.

Afghan refugee families in Pakistan face widespread insecurity, escalating domestic and structural violence, and the near-total absence of effective legal protection. Women and children are disproportionately exposed to abuse, exploitation, and lethal harm, while fear of detention, deportation, or discrimination often prevents victims from seeking justice.

We urge the United Nations and Amnesty International to take immediate and decisive action by:
1. Publicly condemning this crime and similar acts of violence against Afghan refugees in Pakistan;
2. Calling on the Government of Pakistan to conduct a transparent, independent, and thorough investigation into this case and to hold all perpetrators accountable;
3. Pressing for concrete measures to ensure the protection, legal support, and physical safety of Afghan refugees, with particular attention to women and children;
4. Monitoring and reporting on the human rights situation of Afghan migrants in Pakistan, including patterns of violence, impunity, and discrimination.

Silence and inaction in the face of such atrocities contribute to the normalization of violence and embolden those who act with impunity. The international community bears a moral and legal responsibility to protect vulnerable refugee populations and to ensure that crimes of this magnitude do not go unanswered.

The lives of Afghan refugees matter. Justice must not be delayed, and accountability must not be denied.

Sincerely,
Afghanistan Organization for Development of Human Right( AODHR)

Statement by the Afghanistan Organization for Development of Human Rights

10 December 2025

The Afghanistan Organization for Development of Human Rights marks Human Rights Day at a time when millions of Afghans are enduring one of the gravest human rights crises in the country’s modern history. Today, as the world commemorates the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we reaffirm our commitment to protecting the dignity, equality, and fundamental freedoms of every Afghan.

Over the past years, women and girls have faced unprecedented restrictions, including the denial of their rights to education, employment, movement, and full participation in public life. Freedom of expression and freedom of assembly remain severely curtailed, while journalists, civil society members, and human rights defenders continue to face intimidation, censorship, and arbitrary arrest.
Minority communities also remain vulnerable to discrimination and targeted violence without effective protection or justice.

These violations stand in stark contrast to the universal principles that this day symbolizes. Human rights belong to every individual by virtue of being human—they are inherent, universal, and non-negotiable.

We call on the international community, regional partners, and global human rights mechanisms to:
• Maintain principled engagement with a people-centered approach;
• Strengthen monitoring of abuses and advocate for accountability;
• Ensure that the protection of Afghan women, children, and vulnerable communities remains at the core of all diplomatic and humanitarian efforts.

We also urge the de facto authorities to fulfill their moral and legal responsibilities by respecting fundamental rights, lifting discriminatory restrictions, and ensuring that all Afghans can live with dignity and without fear.

As an organization dedicated to promoting human rights and social development, we remain committed to:
• Documenting violations accurately and transparently;
• Supporting victims through advocacy and community outreach;
• Promoting human rights education across communities;
• Amplifying the voices of those silenced or marginalized.

On this Human Rights Day, we stand in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan and reaffirm our unwavering belief that a peaceful, inclusive, and just future is possible only when the rights of all citizens are protected and respected.

Statement by the Afghanistan Organization for Development of Human Rights (AODHR)
October 2025
The Afghanistan Organization for Development of Human Rights (AODHR) expresses deep concern over
the negative impact of U.S. sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) and their wider effects on
international justice. These measures, which included travel bans and financial restrictions on ICC officials,
undermined the Court’s independence and credibility, discouraging cooperation from states and civil
society organizations worldwide.
The sanctions affected civil society actors in multiple situation countries—including Afghanistan,
Palestine, Sudan, and the Philippines—restricting their engagement with the ICC, limiting access to
international support, and delaying justice for victims of grave human rights violations.
In Afghanistan, survivors of crimes committed under the Taliban’s de facto regime faced heightened
vulnerability. The sanctions hindered documentation of atrocities, including gender-based persecution
and arbitrary detentions, leaving victims isolated and justice delayed.
Even after their removal, the legacy of these sanctions continues to weaken confidence in the ICC and
embolden perpetrators of serious international crimes. AODHR calls on the international community to:
1. Safeguard the ICC’s independence from political interference.
2. Protect and support civil society organizations documenting human rights abuses.
3. Strengthen cooperation between states, the ICC, and NGOs to ensure accountability.
4. Raise awareness of the rights and needs of victims and survivors in Afghanistan and other affected
countries.
AODHR reaffirms its commitment to supporting justice, documenting violations, and amplifying the voices
of survivors, and urges renewed global solidarity to uphold human rights and international accountability

قطعنامه تازۀ شورای حقوق بشر؛ گامی امیدبخش برای عدالت در افغانستان
شورای حقوق بشر سازمان ملل متحد امروز، دوشنبه، ششم اکتوبر 2025 با اکثریت آراء ایجاد«سازوکار تحقیق مستقل درباره نقض حقوق بشر در افغانستان» را تصویب کرد، یک تصمیم تاریخی و امیدبخش که نتیجه دادخواهی‌های دوامدار زنان، فعالان مدنی و مدافعان حقوق بشر افغانستان در چهار سال‌ اخیر می‌باشد.
این قطعنامه از اهمیت ویژه‌ای برخوردار است؛ برای نخستین‌بار پس از تسلط طالبان و فروپاشی نظام عدلی و قضایی در کشور، یک نهاد بین‌المللی مستقل مأمور شده تا نقض‌های گسترده حقوق بشر، از اعدام‌های صحرایی تا بازداشت‌های خودسرانه، شکنجه، ناپدیدسازی قهری و تبعیض سیستماتیک علیه زنان و اقلیت‌ها را به‌گونه‌ی حرفه‌ای و بی‌طرفانه مستندسازی کند.
در شرایطی که عدالت در داخل افغانستان عملاً از میان رفته، این مکانیزم می‌تواند راهی برای دادخواهی، پاسخ‌گویی و محاکمه عاملان جنایات در آینده، بگشاید.
این سازوکار متشکل از کارشناسان مستقل حقوق بشر، مستندسازان و حقوق‌دانان بین‌المللی بوده و مأموریت‌های اصلی آن موارد مهم زیر خواهد بود:
یک،گردآوری و مستندسازی شواهد و مدارک معتبر از موارد نقض جدی حقوق بشر،
دو، نگهداری و تحلیل این شواهد برای استفاده در دادگاه‌های بین‌المللی و یا ملی،
سه، گزارش‌دهی منظم به شورای حقوق بشر و جامعه جهانی برای جلوگیری از تداوم نقض‌ها.
این مکانیزم همچنین صلاحیت همکاری با دادگاه جزایی بین‌المللی و دیگر نهادهای قضایی را دارد تا زمینه‌ی پاسخ‌گویی مؤثر و عدالت بین‌المللی را فراهم کند.
تجربه‌های مشابه از کشورهایی چون میانمار، سوریه و سودان جنوبی نشان داده که چنین مکانیزم‌هایی می‌توانند با ایجاد بانک‌های شواهد و اسناد معتبر، در آینده مبنای محاکمه عاملان جرایم بین المللیِ چون جنایت علیه بشریت و جنایات جنگی قرار گیرند. هرچند روند عدالت ممکن است زمان‌بر باشد، اما این سازوکارها مانع از فراموشی درد قربانیان و استمرار معافیت و مصئونیت متهمان به جنایات می‌شوند.
تصویب این قطعنامه پیام روشن دارد: جامعه جهانی هنوز افغانستان و صدای قربانیان آن را فراموش نکرده‌است و مرتکبان جنایات در افغانستان روزی مورد پاسخگویی قرار خواهند گرفت.

Appreciation Statement on the ICC’s Arrest Warrants for Taliban Leaders
Issued on behalf of Afghanistan Organization for Development of Human Right ( AODHR)
Date: 8 July 2025
We, at AODHR ,commend the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the Office of the Prosecutor for taking bold and principled action by issuing arrest warrants for Haibatullah Akhundzada and Abdul Hakim Haqqani in relation to crimes against humanity in Afghanistan.
This decisive step marks a historic moment in international justice ,the first time gender-based persecution, including on the grounds of gender identity and expression, has been publicly acknowledged at this level. It affirms what Afghan women, girls, LGBTQI+ individuals, and civil society have courageously documented and resisted for years: the deliberate, systematic oppression carried out by the Taliban regime since their return to power in August 2021.
We extend our deepest respect to the survivors, Afghan human rights defenders, and grassroots organizations who have continued to speak out at great personal risk. Your voices have not gone unheard.
We also express our appreciation to the ICC’ Prosecutor office for centering gender-based violence as a matter of global accountability, and for recognizing the full scope of harm endured by Afghan communities.
While justice may not be immediate, this action delivers a powerful message: Impunity for crimes of persecution—particularly against women and gender-diverse people—cannot and will not be tolerated.
We urge ICC member states and the international community to fully cooperate with the Court, support enforcement of these warrants, and sustain their commitment to Afghan civil society and survivors.
Together, we must ensure this milestone leads to not just legal accountability, but real change for those who have suffered under tyranny and continue to resist it with courage
Email:[email protected]

شورای بین‌المللی کانادا از دولت این کشور خواسته است که آزار و اذیت نظام‌مند جامعه هزاره در افغانستان را رسماً به عنوان «نسل‌کشی» به رسمیت بشناسد.

این شورا در اعلامیه‌ای که امروز دوشنبه منتشر کرد، تاکید کرده است که جنایات گسترده و ادامه‌دار علیه هزاره‌ها با تعریف مندرج در کنوانسیون نسل‌کشی سازمان ملل متحد مطابقت دارد. به گفته شورای بین‌المللی کانادا، وقت آن فرا رسیده که کانادا رهبری تلاش‌های جهانی برای اجرای عدالت را بر عهده گیرد و عاملان این جنایات را پاسخگو کند.

در این اعلامیه، با اشاره به موج فزاینده خشونت‌ها پس از تسلط طالبان بر افغانستان در سال ۲۰۲۱، مواردی چون بمب‌گذاری در مکتب‌ها، قتل‌های جمعی، تخلیه‌های اجباری، محدودیت‌های شدید بر دسترسی به خدمات اولیه و حملات هدفمند به روستاهای هزاره‌نشین برجسته شده است.

به گفته این شورا، تنها در تیراندازی ماه سپتمبر ۲۰۲۴ در ولسوالی دایکندی، دست‌کم ۱۴ نفر کشته و چندین غیرنظامی زخمی شدند.

شورای بین‌المللی کانادا همچنین به خشونت‌های مشابه علیه اقلیت روهینگیا در میانمار اشاره کرده و گفته است هر دو جامعه «قربانی نسل‌کشی‌هایی» هستند که هدف آن‌ها حذف فرهنگی، دینی و فیزیکی یک گروه خاص است.

این شورا با استناد به نمونه‌هایی مانند حمله به مکتب‌ها دخترانه در کابل و محدودیت‌های شدید بر زنان اقلیت هزاره، این خشونت‌ها را نه تنها قومی، بلکه «جنسیتی» نیز خوانده است.

در حالی که کانادا «نسل‌کشی» روهینگیا را در سال ۲۰۱۸ به رسمیت شناخت، اما تاکنون از شناسایی رسمی «نسل‌کشی» هزاره‌ها خودداری کرده است.

این در حالی‌ است که کمیته فرعی حقوق بشر بین‌المللی در پارلمان کانادا، در سال ۲۰۲۴، قتل‌عام‌های سال‌های ۱۸۹۱ تا ۱۸۹۳ را که طی آن بیش از ۶۰ درصد جمعیت هزاره نابود شدند، به رسمیت شناخته و ۲۵ سپتمبر را به عنوان روز یادبود آن رویداد تعیین کرده بود.

شورای بین‌المللی کانادا در ادامه از دولت خواست تا آزار و اذیت هزاره‌ها را رسماً به عنوان نسل‌کشی اعلام کرده و همچنین برنامه‌ ویژه اسکان مجدد برای پناهندگان هزاره و روهینگیا ایجاد کند.

در این اعلامیه آمده است بودجه پایدار برای کمک‌های بشردوستانه هدفمند تخصیص داده شود، مسیرهای آموزشی ویژه برای قربانیان نسل‌کشی فراهم، نهادهای مشورتی از فعالان دیاسپورا تشکیل و یک فرستاده ویژه برای جوامع در معرض «نسل‌کشی» تعیین شود.

شورای بین‌المللی کانادا هشدار داده است که سکوت جهانی در قبال این فجایع، راه را برای تداوم خشونت‌ها هموارتر می‌سازد.

درخواست رسمی شورای بین‌المللی کانادا: نسل‌کشی هزاره‌ها در افغانستان به رسمیت شناخته شود | تلویزیون آمو به گفته این شورا، تنها در تیراندازی ماه سپتمبر ۲۰۲۴ در ولسوالی دایکندی، دست‌کم ۱۴ نفر کشته و چندین غیرنظامی زخمی شدند.

RECLAIMING THE PROMISE OF ACCOUNTABILITY
The Global Initiative Against Impunity’s Urgent Call to Action on the EU Day Against Impunity
23 May 2025
The Global Initiative Against Impunity (GIAI) marks this year’s EU Day Against Impunity with grave concern, as international justice and accountability face escalating threats and direct attacks. Armed conflicts, state violence, and mass atrocities are on the rise across the globe, while many governments and international institutions remain largely silent in the face of widespread impunity and the increasing application of double standards. This selective inaction undermines the rights of victims and reinforces narratives that dehumanise the survivors of the most serious crimes.
We call on the EU and its Member States to take firm, bold, and concerted measures to uphold human rights and protect international justice mechanisms. This effort must be driven by a renewed commitment to victims and survivors. We must guarantee assistance to those who call for justice and ensure that their rights, voices, and needs remain central to all justice and accountability processes.
European countries and their allies recently commemorated the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II but the current global turmoil and staggering surge in armed conflicts cast a shadow on the celebrations. Civilians, particularly women and children, bear the brunt of the violence. Mass casualties and the collapse of the rules-based order are more than collateral damage. They are the result of deliberate policy failures and legal inaction that demand urgent correction. For nearly a year, civil society organisations have been raising the alarm over the unprecedented sanctions and threats against the International Criminal Court (ICC) that have jeopardised the Court’s fundamental work for victim and survivors worldwide. In a climate of mounting pressure on accountability, states’ breach of their legal obligations and failure to uphold the decisions of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) further undermine the efforts made to bring justice to where it is most needed.
The credibility and effectiveness of the international justice system depend on consistent support and compliance. The European Parliament has echoed these concerns and, on several occasions, has called on the EU to respond to attacks on international justice – this includes activating protective mechanisms such as the Blocking Statute. A robust and united response has yet to materialise considering Italy’s and Hungary’s failure to execute ICC arrest warrants and Hungary announcing its withdrawal from the Rome Statute of the ICC, thereby eroding the foundational values of the EU. Additional developments that have weakened international humanitarian law, such as the recent intention expressed by Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland to withdraw from the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention – fundamental to the prevention of war crimes and protecting civilians – are signals of further failures to fight against impunity. This dangerous trend undermines the international legal framework and threatens the lives and mental well-being of millions 
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by effectively granting authoritarian regimes free rein to continue or escalate abuses.
At the same time, civil society organisations are operating in increasingly hostile conditions, including inside the European Union. Civic freedoms have deteriorated across the globe and have been severely restricted in Europe over the past five years and this has led to the criminalisation of human rights defenders and solidarity movements that assist the victims of international crimes. Additionally, the withdrawal of vital sources of support, such as USAID’s programmes and numerous European governments’ funding cuts, threaten the provision of assistance to those in need, particularly women and minorities, and the ongoing efforts to improve accountability.
The cumulative impact of the ongoing threats compels renewed solidarity and a stronger collective commitment to support victims, survivors, and their communities in their call for justice, truth, reparation, and the non-recurrence of all crimes.
“We are not people who need to be fed. We are not hungry because we don’t have food. We are hungry because we are under occupation, we are under siege, we are under genocide. This is not what people in Gaza want. It’s not that they want only to eat. They want freedom. This is what we want.”
Mosab Abu Toha, writer, poet, scholar from Gaza, and winner of the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary for his portrayal of the Gaza war in the New Yorker, speaking on 6 May 2025 on Democracy Now!
The world is at a critical and historical inflection point which requires the EU to utilise fully the various mechanisms and tools at its disposal to preserve international law and advance peace, stability, and justice for future generations. This is why, on EU Day Against Impunity, the GIAI calls on the EU and its Member States to lead with resolve, to safeguard the institutions of justice, and to stand firmly with victims, survivors, and their communities in the global fight against impunity. In particular, we urge the EU and its Member States to:
1. Reorient security strategies to prioritize human security over militarized approaches, by addressing structural determinants of impunity, including corruption, discrimination, weak rule of law, and militarized masculinities. This includes establishing accountability mechanisms for arms exports, ensuring they do not contribute to violations of international humanitarian law;
2. Prevent instances of all core international crimes in any situation, including by complying with provisional measures ordered by the ICJ, such as those requiring states to prevent acts of genocide, facilitate the provision of humanitarian and reparative assistance where needed, and preserve evidence related to all alleged core international crimes;
3. Cooperate with the ICC, including by executing arrest warrants, surrendering suspects to the Court, and suspending diplomatic relations with those responsible for the most serious crimes;
4. Adopt and implement national and regional protective measures, such as the EU Blocking Statute, to support the operations of the International Criminal Court and to protect persons cooperating with the Court;
5. Guarantee the rights of the victims of international crimes, notably by ensuring their participation and meaningful access to justice, including by providing psychosocial support, translation services, and comprehensive witness protection;
6. Support UN accountability mechanisms and experts in their efforts to access victims, investigate, protect, advocate for human rights, and bring about justice for international crimes;
7. Investigate and prosecute international crimes domestically, by adopting necessary legislation and building the capacity of national authorities to ensure credible, independent, and effective proceedings, including through the use of universal and extraterritorial jurisdiction;
8. Advance survivors’ access to reparation, including by promoting the use of targeted sanctions and asset recovery measures against the perpetrators of international crimes as a way to promote reparative justice for communities of victims;
9. Ensure that adequate and sustainable financial support is provided to international justice systems, including the ICC, the Trust Fund for Victims, and civil society organisations, particularly local organisations, working to improve justice and accountability;
10. Ensure transparency throughout the national efforts made to combat impunity, which is essential to coordinate work, identify blind spots, and provide meaningful assessments of states’ commitments, by publishing annual disaggregated data on ongoing or past criminal proceedings for international crimes.

About the Global Initiative Against Impunity (GIAI)
The Global Initiative Against Impunity for international crimes: Making justice work (GIAI) is a Consortium of eight international NGOs and the Coalition for the ICC, co-funded by the European Union, which aims to contribute to the fight against impunity by supporting a comprehensive, integrated, and inclusive approach to justice and accountability for serious human rights violations and international crimes.
Driven by this commitment, today we are launching the GIAI Knowledge Management Platform, an inclusive, multilingual digital clearing house for collaboration, learning, and information sharing.

"On this EU Day Against Impunity, I urge the EU to honor its legal and moral obligations by implementing laws and border management policies which respect the rights and protect the lives of migrants and refugees. Current practices put them at risk of torture, enslavement, and shipwrecks which may amount to crimes against humanity, while providing safe havens for ICC-wanted criminals. Victims want to be heard, have a safe place to express their views and concerns, and feel that the justice system is still something they can hope on. Let's center survivors' voices in our fight for dignity, justice and accountability."
David Yambio, community advocate, human rights defender

Statement by the Bureau of the Assembly of States Parties in support of the independence and impartiality of the International Criminal Court

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International Criminal Court
The Bureau of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute expresses its deep concern over sanctions measures against the International Criminal Court (“the Court”) and its personnel, as well as individuals and entities who assist it in investigating, arresting, detaining, or prosecuting certain individuals.

Sanctions can severely hamper ongoing investigations in all situations and other activities of the Court and affect the safety of victims, witnesses and sanctioned individuals.

The Bureau regrets any attempts to undermine the Court’s independence, integrity and impartiality. We reiterate our firm commitment to uphold and defend the principles and values enshrined in the Rome Statute and to preserve its integrity undeterred by any threats or measures against the Court, its officials, its personnel and those cooperating with it.

The Rome Statute represents an international commitment to end impunity for the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole. Safeguarding the Court’s integrity, including its judicial and prosecutorial independence, is fundamental to the successful discharge of its mandate to ensure accountability for such crimes and deliver justice to victims equally.

The Bureau emphasizes that the Assembly of States Parties stands firmly by the International Criminal Court, its elected officials, its personnel, and those cooperating with the Court. We stress the importance of the International Criminal Court in defending international justice and call on all States, international organizations and civil society to respect its independence and impartiality.

The Bureau of the Assembly consists of a President, two Vice-Presidents and 18 members elected by the Assembly for three-year terms. The Bureau has a representative character and assists the Assembly in the discharge of its responsibilities.

Source: Assembly of States Parties

متن بیانیه، مشترک در جلسه سالانه مجمع عمومی کشورهای عضو محکمه جرایم بین المللی که از تاریخ ۲-۶ دسامبر در شهر هاگ، هالند دایر شده بود.

Madam President, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Thank you for the opportunity to address the Assembly of States Parties on behalf of the
Afghanistan Human Rights and Democracy Organization, Afghanistan Transitional Justice
Coordination Group, the Afghanistan Organization for Development of Human Rights, and
Coalition for the Prevention of Hazara Genocide.
I am from Afghanistan, a country where women and girls are no longer treated as human beings,
where ethnic and religious minorities face widespread discrimination and even Genocide, where
Afghan citizens are subjected to political and cultural persecution, and where the mechanisms
for domestic accountability are absent. In this vacuum of justice and accountability, the Afghan
people turn to the international community, including this Assembly, as a beacon of hope to end
impunity for the most egregious crimes committed against them.
Gender Persecution and Gender Apartheid
Most critically, we are witnessing blatant gender persecution in Afghanistan and what can only
be described as gender apartheid. Since the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, there has been a
systematic and institutionalised campaign to violently oppress women and girls, with conditions
rapidly deteriorating. Through a series of draconian decrees, the Taliban has stripped women of
their rights and freedoms, effectively erasing them from public life and subjecting those who
speak out to harsh punishment and inhumane treatment. Afghanistan has become the most
repressive country in the world for women, and all this is happening before our eyes -
unchallenged and unobstructed.
Distinguished Delegates,
Allow me to paint you a picture – a dark and harrowing picture – of what life has become for
women and girls in Afghanistan.
Girls are no longer allowed to attend school beyond the sixth grade, and women are barred from
secondary education and universities. Women have been effectively excluded from the
workforce and completely removed from political and public decision-making roles, with female
politicians, judges, and civil servants systematically ousted. Women are further forbidden from
leaving their homes without a male guardian and, when permitted outside, must wear full-body
coverings. They are also banned from accessing parks, gyms, and public baths and are even
prohibited from singing or speaking publicly.
Women who protest against these restrictions face constant threats, arbitrary arrests,
imprisonment, and in some cases, enforced disappearances – fueling fears of brutal reprisals for
any form of dissent. There is credible evidence of women being subjected to arbitrary detention,
beatings, floggings, targeting killings, torture, r**e and other forms of sexual violence, with many
human rights organizations holding that these acts may amount to crimes against humanity.
The Taliban remain defiant and show no intention of changing their behaviour, leaving women
increasingly vulnerable and unprotected.
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ASP General Debate – Joint Statement
Ethnic and Religious Minorities
There has also been a persistent pattern of targeted and deliberate attacks against ethnic and
religious minorities in Afghanistan, particularly the Shia-Hazara community. The Hazara
community has long endured systematic and widespread discrimination, a painful history that
has only deepened in recent years.
Under Taliban rule, the Hazara community has been excluded from decision-making roles in
government institutions, banned from practising and teaching the Shia faith, subjected to
excessive taxation, and exposed to acts of violence, among others. This violence is further
exacerbated by the actions of the Islamic State for Khorasan Province (ISKP), which has
perpetrated targeting killings and horrific attacks on Hazara educational institutions, places of
worship, hospitals, and sports centres. Many human rights organisations have also expressed
serious concerns that these acts may amount to the crime of genocide.
Accountability
Distinguished Delegates,
The situation in Afghanistan demands urgent and coordinated action by the State Parties. A
culture of impunity has prevailed in Afghanistan for far too long, perpetuating cycles of violence
and injustice, leaving victims without redress and emboldening perpetrators. In the absence of
domestic accountability mechanisms in Afghanistan, the International Criminal Court (ICC)
remains a vital avenue for addressing long-standing injustices.
We therefore leave you with the following recommendations:
First, we urge the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) to continue its investigation into the Situation
in Afghanistan and ensure that its investigation addresses all relevant crimes committed by the
implicated parties, including the Taliban, ISKP, and national and international forces.
Second, we urge State Parties to provide the cooperation and resources necessary for the OTP’s
investigation to ensure accountability for the crimes committed in Afghanistan. This includes
facilitating the collection of evidence from Afghan refugees and diaspora communities, and
prioritising the protection of witnesses by strengthening international mechanisms for witness
protection and implementing other security measures for those at risk.
Third, we urge State Parties that have been militarily present in Afghanistan to ensure transparent
and meaningful investigations into allegations of war crimes committed by their forces.
Finally, we urge State Parties to support an ‘all-tools approach’ to ensure justice and accountability
in Afghanistan. This includes proceeding with a case against Afghanistan before the
International Court of Justice for CEDAW violations, codifying gender apartheid in the
upcoming crimes against humanity treaty, using universal jurisdiction, establishing an
independent international accountability mechanism for Afghanistan, supporting the UN Special
Rapporteur’s mandate, and implementing his recommendations.
Thank you.