On the repressive environment in Afghanistan, including public executions and violence against women

B90177/2024

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

(2024/2617(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Afghanistan,

having regard to the latest report by the UN Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan,

– having regard to Rule 144 of its Rules of Procedure,

Whereas public executions occurred in February 2024, involving the shootings of three men by relatives of individuals purportedly killed by the convicts, conducted in the presence of de-facto court officials and the public;

Whereas, on 25 February 2024, a 12-year-old boy and a man were publicly flogged for the offense of immorality, while a woman and a man convicted for adultery were publicly flogged 35 times; whereas in the following days at least 10 individuals were publicly flogged for similar offences;

Whereas since taking over the country in August 2021, the Taliban have de-facto abolished previously enforced laws, including those protecting women, and have ordered judges to fully implement Sharia law, leading to systemic human rights violations;

Whereas the Taliban's restrictions on women, including barring them from access to work, travel and healthcare without a male relative, shows clear will to expel them from public spaces, and limiting education beyond sixth grade leave over 1 million girls without access to education;

Whereas UNAMA has recently documented campaigns by the de-facto police to enforce the hijab decree in Kabul and Daykundi provinces, particularly in areas dominated by Hazara and Tajik minorities;

Expresses its concerns about the human rights crisis in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover; reiterates its unwavering commitment towards the Afghan people and upholding the rights and freedoms they have enjoyed over the past 20 years;

Condemns the Taliban’s inhuman enforcement of Sharia Law and repressions against women and girls amounting to gender persecution and gender apartheid; reiterates that the Afghan de-facto authorities must immediately halt all executions, other cruel or inhuman punishments, barbarous persecution of LGBTQ, and discriminatory policies towards women, and ethnic and religious minorities;

Calls on the Afghan de-facto authorities to respect the fundamental freedoms and human rights of the Afghan citizens and to restore the full, equal and meaningful participation of women and girls in public life, particularly access to education and work;

Insists on maintaining strict, conditional engagement with the Taliban based on the five benchmarks set by the Council and in accordance with the UN Special Rapporteur’s recommendations, by holding the perpetrators of human rights violations accountable, including through restrictive measures;

Supports the calls of Afghan civil society to hold the de facto authorities accountable for their crimes, particularly via the ICC investigation and establishing an UN Independent Investigative Mechanism;

Urges an increase in humanitarian aid to Afghans, including by issuing humanitarian visas for persecuted women and girls, as well as funding for basic needs and livelihood support;

Calls on regional actors to keep pressure on de facto Afghan authorities and abstain from forced returns of Afghans;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the HR/VP, Member States and the UN.