European Parliament resolution of 5 October 2023 on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, in particular the persecution of former government officials (2023/2881(RSP))
Date: 2023-10-05
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: Afghanistan, armed forces, barring of penalties by limitation, civil servant, government violence, human rights movement, humanitarian crisis, persecution, religious discrimination, women's rights








C_202401185EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
Series C













C/2024/1185


23.2.2024






P9_TA(2023)0349
Human rights situation in Afghanistan, in particular the persecution of former government officials
European Parliament resolution of 5 October 2023 on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, in particular the persecution of former government officials (2023/2881(RSP))
(C/2024/1185)



The European Parliament,






—


having regard to its previous resolutions on Afghanistan,










—


having regard to Rules 144(5) and 132(4) of its Rules of Procedure,










A.


whereas following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, it announced a general amnesty for former government officials and former armed force members (ANDSF); whereas the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has documented at least 800 human rights violations, including arbitrary detentions, extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and torture, against former government officials and ANDSF members carried out by the de facto authorities;










B.


whereas former government officials and ANDSF members have been killed in detention facilities, unknown locations and public places; whereas families are often unaware of the fate or whereabouts of detained relatives for days or weeks until their bodies are returned;













1.


Deplores the level of human rights abuses in Afghanistan, which have risen exponentially since the Taliban takeover; denounces in the strongest terms all human rights violations in the country, including the widespread persecution of former government officials and ANDSF members, the staggering oppression of women and girls and policy of gender apartheid, and the targeting of civil society organisations and human rights defenders;












2.


Calls on Afghanistan’s de facto authorities to fully enforce their publicly announced commitment to the general amnesty of former government officials and ANDSF members;












3.


Calls for the urgent creation of a UN-led accountability mechanism to investigate alleged human rights violations, including those against former government officials and ANDSF members, and breaches of international law;












4.


Urges the de facto authorities to reverse the severe restrictions on the rights of women and girls, in line with Afghanistan’s international obligations;












5.


Reiterates its call on Afghanistan to immediately and unconditionally release Matiullah Wesa, Zholia Parsi, Neda Parwani, Murtaza Behboudi, Rasul Parsi and all others unjustly imprisoned and to conduct a thorough investigation into Alia Azizi’s enforced disappearance;












6.


Insists on maintaining a strict conditional engagement with the Taliban in accordance with the five Council benchmarks for engagement with the de facto authorities;












7.


Urges the EU and the Member States to step up their support for Afghan civil society, including by funding specific assistance and protection programmes for human rights defenders and by issuing humanitarian visas for persecuted women and girls;












8.


Deplores the fact that religious freedom in Afghanistan has dramatically deteriorated under Taliban rule; condemns the Taliban for brutally persecuting Christians and other religious minorities in order to eradicate them from the country;












9.


Reiterates its solidarity with and commitment to the people of Afghanistan, including their call for justice, accountability and reparation for all human rights violations in Afghanistan; calls for the EU to support the ongoing International Criminal Court investigation in this regard;












10.


Reiterates its concern about the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in Afghanistan and the lack of funds to provide food for those suffering from extreme hunger; calls on the Commission and the Member States to bolster humanitarian aid, as well as funding for basic needs and livelihood support;












11.


Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the UN and the de facto authorities of Afghanistan.






ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/1185/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)