The UN rights chief says he has credible reports of Taliban executions

GENEVA, Aug 24 (Reuters) – The UN human rights chief said on Tuesday he had received credible reports of serious Taliban violations in Afghanistan, including “summary executions” of Afghan civilians and security forces that they had surrendered.

Michelle Bachelet did not give any details of the killings in her speech to the Human Rights Council, but urged him to establish a mechanism to closely monitor Taliban actions.

According to a resolution agreed on Tuesday by the Geneva forum, it will report to the September-October session on the situation and the violations committed by the Taliban and make a more complete written report in March 2022.

Taliban treatment of women and girls would be “a fundamental red line,” Bachelet said at an emergency council session at the request of Pakistan and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (ICO).

Pakistan’s ambassador, Khalil Hashmi, said the resolution expressed great concern over reports of rapes and sent a “message of solidarity to the people of Afghanistan.”

Austrian Ambassador Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger, speaking on behalf of the European Union, said she was joining the consensus even though the resolution “falls short”. The blog had tried to start an international investigation, he said.

Nasir Ahmad Andisha, a senior Afghan diplomat in the ousted government, called for accountability for the Taliban’s actions, describing an “uncertain and terrible” situation in which millions of people fear for their lives. Read more

“Control is essential to prevent further atrocities and ensure accountability,” Andisha said in the talks.

Independent human rights experts from the United Nations, in a joint statement, said many people were in hiding while “the Taliban continue to search houses from door to door” and reported kidnappings and retaliation of property.

There has been a devastating increase in civilian casualties during the first half of the year, they said, adding: “The Taliban’s actions over these months and to date may represent war crimes and crimes. against humanity “.

But China’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Chen Xu, said the U.S. military and the military of other coalition partners, including Britain and Australia, should be held accountable for the allegations. rights violations by their forces in Afghanistan. Read more

The United States condemned the attacks, which it said were carried out against civilians, journalists, activists and minority groups, but did not name the Taliban.

Shaharzad Akbar, chairman of Afghanistan’s Human Rights Commission who had called for a “credible and strong outcome,” later said in a tweet, “An oral update from the high commissioner? Really? Is that all that can you do @UN_HRC? “

Edited by Giles Elgood

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