What changed

B90188/2024

B90193/2024

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on Thethe repressive environment in Afghanistan, including public executions and violence against women

(2024/2617(RSP))

The European Parliament,

–- having regardregards to its previous resolutions on Afghanistan,

–- having regard to Rule 144144(5) and 132(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas Afghanistan under the Taliban’s regime remains the most repressive country in the world for women’s rights, with numerous unprecedented restrictions on women’s rights; whereas Afghan women are deprived of their livelihoods, identity, education, employment, leisure, travel, sports and equal access to humanitarian aid; whereas the recent decision to ban women from working for non-governmental organizations has led to more than 100 civil society groups being unable to function fully ; whereas women cannot travel more than 75 kilometres without a male guardian, practice any kind of sport and are banned from public baths, restaurants and parks;

A. Whereas human rights violations are being reported daily in Afghanistan, including arrests, detention, abduction, torture, threats, extortion, killings and attacks; whereas there continues to be a complete lack of accountability for such violations;

B. whereas United Nations experts have called for the Taliban to be investigated and held accountable for relentless brutal oppression against woman in Afghanistan;

B. Whereas women and girls have faced growing restrictions to their fundamental rights since the Taliban takeover, in particular in access to education as of 7 grade, mobility and employment; whereas women have been virtually erased from all spheres of public life;

C. whereas since January 2023 there have been at least 1,977 documented claims of human rights breaches involving killings, arbitrary detentions and torture of women confirming a gradual rise in cases targeting women;

C. whereas the Taliban banned Afghan women from working for non-governmental organisations and the UN; whereas this policy has hindered humanitarian efforts but also the organisations’ ability to engage with women in person, monitor humanitarian impact and facilitate women’s access to information;

D. whereas the de facto Supreme Court in Afghanistan welcomes in its Constitution women’s punishments including stoning, flogging, burying under a wall and public executions;

D. whereas women and girls are recently being arrested and detained because of alleged violations of the strict dress code (hijab) imposed by the Taliban; whereas these arrests disproportionately target ethnic minorities, in particular Hazara and Tajiks;

F. whereas woman human rights defender Manizha Seddiqi disappeared on 9 October 2023 and later was found in Taliban custody without charges; whereas she does not have access to lawyers or family visits while in prison and is at risk of torture;

F. Whereas a public execution of three people at a sports stadium took place two weeks ago in the cities of Ghazni and Shebergham; whereas the convicted individuals were reportedly shot multiple times; since the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan in August 2021 five people were publically executed;

G. whereas on 31 December 2022 women and girls in the Shia/Hazara and Tajik communities were arrested for not wearing a Hijab;

1. Deeply deplores the continuing deterioration of the political, economic, humanitarian, human rights and security situation in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover of August 2021;

1. Condemns the brutal and undignified nature of the punishments perpetrated against women by the Taliban regime under Sharia law as well as deeply entrenched discrimination and stereotypes, including those held by the exclusively male judiciary – a manifestation of the gender-based persecution that women and girls endure in Afghanistan;

2. Condemns that the Taliban have been steadily increasing their discriminatory restrictions on women and girls, while continuing their draconian crackdown on any form of dissent; alarms that this situation currently qualifies as gender apartheid; condemns the harsh penalties for non-compliance with the strict dress code; expresses outrage that the disrespect for the fundamental rights of women and girls in Afghanistan are unparalleled in the world;

2. Condemns the regime put into practice by the Taliban which denies any form of normal life to girls and women in Afghanistan; stands with Afghans in reclaiming their traditions and their rights; highlights the detrimental effects of Taliban policy on women, including their mental health; recognizes that Afghan women and girls need the support of the international community and calls on the international community to increase pressure on the Taliban to revoke its oppressive policies and to raise international awareness about these oppressions;

3. Demands from the de facto authorities of Afghanistan that all gender-based restrictions on women are lifted and that they can again actively participate in public life; stresses that this must be a key condition for any engagement of the international community with the Taliban; urges the EU to step up its support to Afghan groups working to defend the rights of women and girls;

3. Commends courage of Afghan woman who despite the very grave risk of detention and violence, continue to march on the streets, raising their voices; and continue finding ways to live their lives amid restrictions, including attending underground schools and universities;

4. Denounces the continuing implementation of public executions by the de facto Taliban authorities; demands that these public displays of cruelty and disregard for human life must cease immediately; calls on the de facto authorities to establish an immediate moratorium on capital punishment as a step towards its abolition;

4. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the, Council, the Commission, the VP/HR, and the Secretary-General of the UN.

5. Calls on the EU and Member States to support the establishment of an international accountability mechanism to collect and preserve evidence of serious violations in Afghanistan for future criminal proceedings;

6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the EU Special Envoy to Afghanistan.