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Afghanistan: Speech by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell in the EP Plenary on the human rights situation

European External Action Service (EEAS)

04.10.2023
Strasbourg
EEAS Press Team

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President, Honourable Members of the European Parliament,

Since the Taliban's announcement of the amnesty in August 2021, the [European] Union has monitored closely its implementation. The recent report of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) documents at least 800 human rights violations against former government officials and Afghan National Defense and Security Force members. These numbers only reflect the verifiable and reported incidences, so the actual numbers might be even higher.

Afghanistan is State Party to the Geneva Conventions, which postulate that the authorities shall endeavour to grant the broadest possible amnesty when a conflict has ended. Moreover, Afghanistan remains State Party to several international human rights treaties and conventions that prohibit extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and detentions, and torture and ill-treatment.

The European Union condemns the human rights violations against former government officials and former armed forces members in Afghanistan. We often raise this concern directly with the Taliban, the same way we raise the blatant violation of basic women's rights.

We support strong monitoring and accountability mechanisms, including the Human Rights component of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. Through EU-led resolutions at the UN Human Rights Council, we have strengthened the mandate of the Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett. As the largest donor to the International Criminal Court, the European Union acknowledges its Afghanistan investigation, which is an important additional initiative to ensure accountability.

We will continue to support Afghan human rights defenders and civil society in Afghanistan and abroad as they courageously try to defend the rights and address the plight of the Afghan people.

We are closely monitoring the human rights situation and engages in exchanges with Afghan civil society.

The UN Assistance Mission discusses human rights issues, including its Human Rights reports, with the Taliban de facto authorities. Following the report of human rights violations against former government officials and armed forces members, the Taliban publicly announced that any act of revenge is considered a crime and perpetrators would be prosecuted.

Yet, we will continue assessing the Taliban by their actions, and not just by their words. So far, there is little evidence of preventative action being taken, beyond public statements.