UN urges Afghanistan’s Taliban government to stop torture and protect the rights of detainees

By RAHIM FAIEZ
Associated Press

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The United Nations says it has documented more than 1,600 cases of human rights violations committed by Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities during arrests and detentions of people. It urged the Taliban government to stop torture and protect the rights of detainees. The U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan says nearly 50% of the violations consisted of “torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.” The mission’s report covers 19 months, from January 2022 until the end of July 2023, with cases documented across 29 of Afghanistan’s 34 provinces. It says 11% of the cases involved women. The Taliban have imposed harsh measures since seizing Afghanistan in mid-August 2021.