The United Nations has recorded more than 1,600 incidents of rights violations against people detained by Taliban authorities in Afghanistan, almost half of them acts of torture and ill-treatment, mostly by police and intelligence officers, shows a report published this Wednesday.
The UN Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said 18 people had also died in prisons and in police and intelligence custody in the 19 months to July 2023.
The Taliban has staffed and controlled the police and intelligence agency since taking control of the country when foreign forces withdrew in the summer of 2021.
“In their attempts to obtain confessions or other information, detainees were subjected to severe pain and suffering, through physical beatings, electric shocks, asphyxiation, forced positions and forced water swallowing, as well as blindfolding and threats,” the statement said. UNAMA in a statement.
Other violations included not being informed of the reason for arrest, not being able to access a lawyer, and inadequate medical care in custody.
About one in ten rapes were against women. Journalists and members of civil society represented almost a quarter of rape victims.
In a response published with the report, the Taliban-led Foreign Ministry said the number of reported violations was not accurate, especially the number of journalists or civil society advocates affected.
The ministry said authorities and the judiciary were working to increase oversight and ensure compliance with the supreme leader’s decrees prohibiting torture or forced confession.
The UN said the decrees and permission to access prisons were “encouraging signs” but called for more action to correct the situation.
“These documented cases highlight the need for urgent and accelerated action by all,” said Roza Otunbayeva, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan and Head of UNAMA. “There is a pressing need to consider greater engagement with de facto authorities to end these practices.”
