Afghanistan Peace CampaignTwelve members of the United Nations Security Council have expressed concern in a statement regarding the human rights situation and the newly enacted law of the Ministry of Virtue and Vice in Afghanistan.
The Security Council members have also called on Afghanistan’s interim government to revoke restrictive policies against women and have demanded the lifting of the entry ban on Richard Bennett, the UN’s special rapporteur for human rights in Afghanistan.
Yamazaki Kazuyuki, Japan’s representative, who read the statement, said that Afghan citizens, especially women, have suffered for a long time and are losing hope for the future day by day. He added that the Council is committed to comprehensively addressing the problems of Afghan citizens and is monitoring the situation in Afghanistan.
Yamazaki further stated: “Afghan citizens, especially women and girls, have suffered for far too long. Day by day, Afghan women and girls lose their opportunities and hope for their future. This is unacceptable. We are committed to doing our utmost to holistically address their plight and will continue to monitor the situation closely.”
The statement also expressed concern about the travel ban imposed on Richard Bennett, the UN Human Rights Council’s Special Rapporteur, from entering Afghanistan.
On the other hand, Stéphane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, said that the organization’s focus is on improving the lives of the Afghan people through development, humanitarian work, and policy.
The spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General added: “Our focus in Afghanistan is on trying to do whatever we can to improve the lives of the Afghan people, right? Through development work, through our humanitarian work, and also through our political work.”
The Islamic Emirate has not yet responded to the reactions from the Security Council members; however, it has consistently stated that the rights of the Afghan people, particularly women, are protected under Islamic law.
Aziz Maraj, a political analyst, told TOLOnews: “Everything should be made clear according to the holy Islamic religion to eliminate any complaints, doubts, disputes, or problems that may arise with the international community or the United Nations.”
The law of the Ministry of Virtue and Vice was enforced by the Ministry of Justice a month ago. The law contains four chapters and 35 articles.
Previously, Mohammad Khalid Hanafi, the Acting Minister of Virtue and Vice, emphasized the implementation of this new law during his provincial visits.