report in TOLOnews, July 17, 2023 at 9:39 PM
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a new report that the “de facto authorities” continue to restrict the rights of women and girls.
The seven-page report–that covers the period from May to June–highlighted the restrictions imposed on women by the interim Afghan government.
“On 3 May 2023, the de facto Ministry of Public Health announced that only male medical students would be permitted to take the ‘Exit Supplementary Exam’ in order to pursue further specialized medical studies,” the report said, adding that the move was in addition to the earlier bans preventing women from participating in the medical school exit examinations.
The report said that UNAMA recorded instances where the “de facto authorities” took steps to enforce previously announced limitations on women’s freedom of movement and participation in employment.
UNAMA referred to its report of 27 May 2023 about the impact of improvised explosive devices on civilians in Afghanistan from “15 August 2021 – 30 May 2023”, saying that despite a significant reduction in civilian casualties recorded as a result of armed conflict in Afghanistan since the “Taliban takeover of the country on 15 August 2021, UNAMA continues to document significant levels of civilian harm resulting from deliberate attacks employing improvised explosive devices (IEDs).”
The report said that UNAMA continues to document cases of “extrajudicial killing of former government and military personnel across Afghanistan.”
“For example, on 17 May in Takhar, a former Afghan National Army soldier was shot and killed by two men on a motorcycle – reportedly de facto security force members – while he was on his way home,” UNAMA said. “On 24 May in Samangan, de facto security forces conducted a search operation at the home of a former Afghan National Defence and Security Force official, during which he was shot and killed.”
The report said that “arbitrary arrests and detentions” of former government and military personnel – often accused of affiliation with the National Resistance Front – are also ongoing, particularly in Kabul and Panjshir provinces.
“Killings of individuals accused of affiliation with ISIL-KP (Daesh) were also recorded in May and June in Nangarhar and Kunar provinces,” the report reads.
The report also criticized the establishment of a committees by the “de facto Departments of Information and Culture” which aimed at monitoring activities of the media in their respective provinces.
These committees are headed by the de facto Department of Information and Culture and include members from the de facto General Directorate of Intelligence and de facto Department for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, UNAMA noted. “No announcement has been made explaining the exact mandate of these committees.”
The Islamic Emirate has yet to react to UNAMA’s report but earlier said that the rights of women are observed within an Islamic structure.
https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-184233
