UN Approves Afghanistan Rights Investigation

The U.N. Human Rights Council agreed to establish an ongoing, independent investigative mechanism to collect and preserve evidence of alleged human rights violations in Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. The measure, advanced by the European Union, was approved by consensus in Geneva, with China expressing reservations. Modeled on existing probes for Syria and Myanmar, the mechanism will prepare case files for international or national courts, including the International Criminal Court, and will build on the council special rapporteur’s work. A central focus will be abuses and restrictions against women and girls — including the suspension of protections for women, the dismissal of female judges, and what rapporteur Richard Bennett described as the Taliban’s 'weaponizing' of the legal system amounting to crimes against humanity. Advocates said the move could help break a cycle of impunity despite U.N. financial constraints, while China argued the resolution ignored recent stability and progress in Afghanistan.