As people in Afghanistan continue to live a life of grave challenges in the war-torn country, a US-based organization, Freedom House has released a report on the human rights situation in Afghanistan and stated that at least 90 per cent of human rights defenders said they had experienced violence and mistreatment.
According to TOLOnews, a survey of 663 Afghan human rights defenders was performed between May and June 2022 which revealed the severe conditions, the human rights defenders in Afghanistan were subjected to, in the Taliban regime.
"Afghan human rights defenders live in fear and face grave challenges, whether they remain in the country or have fled abroad," said the head of Freedom House, Michael Abramowitz.
"The international community must redouble its support for these activists' tireless efforts to create a freer and more just Afghanistan."
Time and again, several analysts have said that the activities of human rights defenders are essential to monitoring the actions of authorities governing the country.
Before the Taliban retook control of Afghanistan, the country was home to numerous groups and individuals who advocated for the rights and protection of all Afghans, including women, religious minorities, and marginalized communities, the Freedom House report said.
"Every society needs human rights defenders to ensure justice and they play an important role in this regard," said Aziz Maarij, a legal affairs analyst, according to TOLOnews.
Since the Taliban seized power in Kabul last year, the human rights situation has been exacerbated by a nationwide economic, financial and humanitarian crisis of unprecedented scale. The Taliban dismantled the system to respond to gender-based violence, created new barriers to women accessing health care, blocked women's aid workers from doing their jobs, and attacked women's rights protesters.
With the US troops' withdrawal from the country, large-scale violence has been unleashed creating political uncertainty in different parts of the country.
( With inputs from ANI )
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