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UNAMA issues latest rights report, notes ongoing challenges for women, girls and media

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The Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, urged the United Nations Human Rights Council to keep Afghanistan and its people at the forefront of its agenda.

"It is important to hold the Taliban (Islamic Emirate) to account for their policies and actions," he told the UN rights body this week.

Bennett’s account coincided with the UN mission in Afghanistan’s (UNAMA) latest report on the human rights situation - covering the period from January to March 2024.

In its report, UNAMA said that while the new school year in Afghanistan commenced in April, it did so without the presence of Afghan girls in high schools.

The report also stated that an invitation to attend a ceremony in Kabul marking the commencement of the new academic year, issued to media by the Ministry of Education, specifically instructed women journalists not to attend, citing a “lack of proper place[s]” for women.

UNAMA did however point out that while they still received reports of the enforcement of the hijab instruction,such incidents significantly decreased after January 2024 with the cessation of the large-scale enforcement actions which took place between December 2023 and January 2024.

On the issue of freedom of media, UNAMA said the situation for journalists was “mixed”.

“Some journalists have reported an improvement in access to information with the appointment of spokespersons for de facto line departments at provincial level and the establishment of WhatsApp groups by some de facto entities to distribute information.”

However, journalists and media workers continue to operate in a challenging environment, with the media facing significant financial challenges, in addition to a range of restrictions imposed by the Islamic Emirate and the risk of arbitrary detentions.

Between January and March, at least four journalists were arrested, including one from Japan's Kyodo news agency. All have since been released.

UNAMA stated however that threats to former government officials and former ANDSF members, including arbitrary arrest and detention, torture and ill-treatment and extrajudicial killings, continue to be reported to UNAMA Human Rights, despite the general amnesty announced by the Islamic Emirate.

On the death penalty and corporal punishment, UNAMA reported that the Islamic Emirate carried out three public executions of individuals sentenced to the death penalty.

“In all three instances, the de facto authorities stated that the death penalty was implemented in accordance with a sentence upheld by three de facto Courts (District, Appeal and Supreme) and approval by the Taliban leader,” the report read.

In response to the UNAMA report, Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman of the Islamic Emirate, said that no one's rights have been lost in Afghanistan, but Sharia rights of men and women in Afghanistan are secured and people have access to their rights more so now than before.

Mujahid called the UNAMA report baseless and said the report was not accurate.

Regarding the arrests of former government officials, Mujahid says no one has been arrested and there are no documents in this regard.

"In general, UNAMA's reports are always full of propaganda and are meant to destroy public minds, and they do not have any documents to prove their claims,” added Mujahid.

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Political commission meets to discuss key issues including regional projects

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The political commission led by Mawlavi Abdul Kabir, Deputy Political Prime Minister, has discussed the implementation of large regional projects, the security of border areas, the improvement of the social situation, and the strengthening of relations with a number of countries.

On Tuesday, Arg said that Kabir stated that the Islamic Emirate is ready to ensure the security of the country's borders.

“In this meeting, the political and security situation of Afghanistan and the region was discussed,” said Hamdullah Fitrat, Deputy Spokesman of the IEA.

“The political commission emphasized in this meeting that Afghanistan is ready to secure its borders and (land) ports and will not allow anyone to harm other countries from Afghanistan,” Fitrat added.

Meanwhile, politicians have said that strengthening Afghanistan's relations with the world depends on respecting human rights, opening the gates of schools and universities to girls, and removing restrictions on women.

The members of the political commission also expressed their concern over the escalation of the crisis in the Middle East and supported the call for the rights of the Palestinian people.

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IEA, Iran officials discuss expansion of transport and transit services

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A number of visiting Iranian officials have met with officials of the Ministry of Transport and Aviation in Kabul to discuss the expansion of transport and transit services.

Iranian officials say they are seeking to expand economic ties between the two countries and want to cooperate with Afghanistan in agriculture, livestock farming, mining and transit.

Hossein Noorizada, deputy governor of Iran’s Korasan Razavi province, said that Afghanistan has high quality agricultural products, and Iran is ready to help such products reach foreign markets.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Investment said that Iran is an important economic partner of Afghanistan and there is great potential to expand economic and trade relations and the two countries should do more in this regard.

"We have the same agriculture as you (Iran) have," said Khan Jan Alokozay, a member of the Chamber of Commerce and Investment. “But we must be given the opportunity to enter a major country that is both your friend and our friend. We should be able to get our fruits and vegetables to India.”

Recently, Iranian investors have become interested in investing in Afghanistan, especially in the agriculture and mining sectors.

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Islamabad: Islamic Emirate should fix its own problems instead of lecturing us

The statement stressed that the Islamic Emirate should prioritize inclusivity, ensure the right of girls to education and not allow terrorist groups to pose a threat to neighboring countries.

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Following the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan's (IEA) call on the Pakistani government to negotiate with its political opponents, Islamabad on Monday asked IEA to fix its own problems instead of “lecturing a democratic country.”

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson rejected the Afghan Foreign Ministry's statement on the recent protests in Pakistan as "unacceptable and deplorable" interference in the country's internal affairs.

The statement stressed that the Islamic Emirate should prioritize inclusivity, ensure the right of girls to education and not allow terrorist groups to pose a threat to neighboring countries.

Amid protests by supporters of jailed former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, IEA said on Sunday that tensions between Pakistan’s government and the opposition have reached a worrying level and could have a negative impact on the entire region.

In a statement, Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi said the best way to meet the "legitimate demands of the people" was to hold negotiations.

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