Afghanistan: Taliban Denies Entry to UN Rights Expert
The Facts
The Taliban de facto administration has barred Richard Bennett, the UN-appointed special rapporteur, from entering Afghanistan for allegedly "spreading propaganda."
In 2022, a year after the Taliban returned to power, the UN Human Rights Council appointed Bennett to observe Afghanistan's human rights situation.
The Spin
The Taliban banning Bennett from visiting Afghanistan shows their crackdown on human rights is ongoing. Taliban's sweeping curbs on women and girls' access to education, employment, public places, salons, and gyms highlight their persecution based on gender. The international community must insist on reversing the institutionalized and systematic repression against millions of Afghans.
The Taliban respects women's rights according to Islamic law and Afghan customs. Bennett misrepresented the ground realities, published biased reports, exaggerated minor issues, and propagated hatred toward the Afghans to undermine the government's credibility on the global stage. The West failed the people of Afghanistan, but it will not be allowed to meddle with the country's internal matters and rattle it again.
