On situation of women and girls in Afghanistan following the Taliban's adoption of the Criminal Procedure Code for Courts

B100247/2026

European Parliament resolution on situation of women and girls in Afghanistan following the Taliban's adoption of the Criminal Procedure Code for Courts

(2026/2737(RSP))

The European Parliament,

having regard to Rule 150 of the Rules of Procedure,

whereas since their 2021 takeover, the Taliban have severely restricted the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the Afghan people, particularly women and girls; whereas Afghanistan is the only country world-wide banning girls and women from secondary and university education;

B. whereas on 4.1.2026, the Taliban imposed the “Criminal Procedure Code for the Courts” codifying systemic repression by entrenching discrimination based on gender, religion, belief, and social status, institutionalising capital punishment, torture, destruction and confiscation of property and introducing slavery, breaching international law;

C. whereas the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Taliban Leaders for crimes against humanity;

D. whereas, in 2024, the European Court of Justice confirmed that women and girls at risk of violence and discrimination, qualify for refugee status based on gender;

E. whereas the Council Conclusions from 15 September 2021 restrict engagement to five narrow benchmarks; whereas the European Commission in cooperation with Sweden plans to invite Taliban representatives to Brussels for discussions on returns of Afghan nationals;

Condemns the Taliban’s systemic discrimination against women and girls and reiterates that their erasure from public life constitutes gender apartheid and may may amount to crimes against humanity;

Denounces the imposition of the Criminal Procedure Code for Courts by the Taliban and urges the de facto authorities to immediately revoke the regulation and stop its implementation;

Urges Afghan de facto authorities to halt ongoing widespread and systematic human rights violations against women, girls, and the people at large, fully respect the country’s obligations under international human rights law, and end all discriminatory policies and actions;

Calls on the EU and Member States to actively support all efforts to hold the Taliban accountable, notably, the UN Independent Investigative Mechanism, the recognition of gender apartheid as a crime against humanity, the CEDAW legal proceedings and the investigations by the ICC;

Calls on the VP/HR to propose additional listing of individuals and entities in Afghanistan responsible for grave human rights abuses under the EU Global Human Rights Sanction Regime, notably the Taliban leadership;

Recalls the Council’s five benchmarks conditioning EU engagement with the de facto authorities; calls on the European Commission and Member States to discard its plans to invite Taliban representatives to Brussels, which risks granting political visibility, procedural recognition, and bargaining power, while undermining EU human rights commitments; deplores bilateral contacts of certain Member States with the Taliban to facilitate deportations; expresses alarm at reports that Taliban-linked individuals accredited as diplomats have taken effective control of Afghan consular representations in the EU;

7. Calls on Member States to expedite humanitarian visas and protection pathways for Afghans at risk and immediately and strictly refrain from deportation of Afghan nationals seeking asylum, as due to the current situation in Afghanistan, returns violate non-refoulement and the European Convention on Human Rights;

8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the EU institutions, the HRVP, the Member States, and Afghanistan.