Overview

The people of Afghanistan experienced worsening levels of human rights violations under the de facto Taliban authorities. Women and girls faced the crime against humanity of gender persecution and were increasingly deprived of their rights to freedom of movement and freedom of expression. Access to healthcare remained difficult, and education for women and girls beyond primary school remained banned. The Shia-Hazara community continued to face targeted attacks and killings, primarily by the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (IS-KP). The Taliban continued to marginalize women as well as ethnic and religious groups from political participation, access to public services and humanitarian assistance.

The Taliban’s arbitrary arrests, forcible disappearances, torture and other ill-treatment and extrajudicial executions of former government employees, human rights defenders, journalists and critical voices continued. The Taliban continued to attack and arrest journalists and restricted media freedom. Hundreds of prisoners were reportedly sentenced to death.

The UN and the international community failed to address impunity for ongoing and past atrocities. Despite a deepening humanitarian and human rights crisis, Afghan refugees were forcibly returned to Afghanistan in large groups.