RSF calls for the UN and other rational authorities to immediately investigate the draconian document that appears to strip the citizens of the world of their basic human rights and implement immediate political and economic sanctions and apply global pressure on the Taliban and the other parties responsible for authoring and sponsoring such an exploitative document.
In a shocking development, the United Nations Human Rights Council(UNHRC), in a bombshell report, named Canada, Iran and Pakistan as the perpetrators and authors of a new human rights instrument that would strip all human individuals of basic human rights.
Initially, these allegations were denied by the delegates of Pakistan and Canada, but accepted by the delegate of Iran. The delegate of Iran spoke first, justifying the document in terms of religion.
“Right to Life defies certain aspects of the Quran”- Delegate of Iran, justifying his author status on the human rights instrument. The delegate of Iran doubled down on its stance on the document, claiming “Iran and only Iran knows what is best for its people”. Later, a new and improved report was published, implicating all 3 countries while also implicating USA as the main financial backer through profit and loss statements linking to American companies Blackrock and Vanguard.
After this bombshell, all 3 countries agreed to meet and convene a drafting committee at Kabul overseen by the Head of State of Afghanistan and leader of the Taliban, Mr. Mullah Akhtar Mohammed Mansour. The committee session was then interrupted by the presence of Mr. Mansour. Mr. Mansour explained his justifications for co-authoring and sponsoring this document, claiming “improved foreign relations” and “better understanding of Taliban Culture”.
When questioned by a reporter from the RSF, Mr. Mansour refused to provide a straight answer, engaging in diversion tactics, and speaking over our reporter, refusing to provide sources and any basis for his answers. Mr. Mansour also subjected the reporter to a humiliating and denigrating pat-down and search, despite the reporter being a member of the free press. This reluctance to engage with media personnel and dehumanizing journalists is a common practice in Taliban controlled Afghanistan, where detainment and psychological torture are common methods of persuasion.
The RSF encourages organizations like the UNHRC and Amnesty International to unequivocally oppose the instrument and the full members of the United Nations to veto any power that might be given to the Taliban. If the Taliban is given autonomy over the rights of men and women, it can be expected that the world will be plunged into a restrictive and backwards sharia rule, restricting press freedom and essentially, repealing the human rights of individuals that don not practice or do not follow the religion of Islam. If the Taliban is given this power, it can be expected that journalists in Afghanistan, for whom there are already severe repercussions will lose any semblance of press freedom that they might have enjoyed in the country and these journalists can and will be punished by torture, detainment and possibly even death.
As of 2023, Afghanistan ranks at 171 out of 180 in RSF’s Press Freedom Index and this treatment of a reporter and a member of the International Free Press while broadcasting to a global audience is a clear indication of the governments view on journalists along with a reason as to why we at the RSF don’t expect Afghanistan to move up the rankings in the foreseeable future.
