Afghanistan: UN tells Taliban to open up on abuses committed by security forces — UN News

Five years into Taliban rule, Afghans still have almost no way of knowing whether soldiers, police and morality officers who abuse their power ever face consequences – and that secrecy is corroding trust in the State, the UN said Monday. Five years after the Taliban seized power, such grave concerns as human rights violations, detention and discrimination against women and girls continue to be consistently raised by UN agencies and partners, from UN Women to the Security Council. Since the takeover, UNAMA has monitored the situation of governance, rule of law, security and human rights across Afghanistan, including developments in domestic law, the criminal justice system and respect for victims’ rights. UNAMA reports have already highlighted a significant lack of public information on the status of investigations or actions to hold perpetrators of human rights violations to account. While de facto authorities have taken some positive steps, there has not been enough transparency on oversight and accountability measures, the report highlights. The findings examined bodies such as the so-called Security and Filtration Commission and the Ministry of Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which were set up according to the Taliban’s strict interpretation of Sharia Law, replacing the former democratic constitution. “The limited amount of public information on complaints received, investigations conducted and disciplinary or judicial actions taken by…