UNAMA Report Reveals Widespread Human Rights Violations by Taliban, Including Suppression of Women and Public Executions

Kokcha News Agency: The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has released a damning report detailing the escalating human rights abuses by the Taliban over the past three months (April to June 2025). The report documents arbitrary detentions, widespread suppression of women, public executions, and severe restrictions on media and civil society.

UNAMA confirmed that female employees of the mission and other aid organizations have been threatened by unidentified gunmen, including death threats. The report also highlights that the Taliban continue to suppress women, even arresting those who comply with the group’s dress code.

In Faryab province, the Taliban have carried out mass detentions of ethnic Uzbeks, including children, and killed 10 protesters in Badakhshan. The report also details the targeted killings and arbitrary detentions of former government officials and security personnel, with at least seven killings, eight arbitrary detentions, and three cases of torture documented between April 1 and June 30.

Suppression of Women: Forced Hijab and Social Exclusion
The Taliban have imposed strict restrictions on women’s movement, including mandatory hijab enforcement. In Herat, women who failed to comply with the dress code were barred from entering markets and using public transport, and some were detained until their families brought them hijabs.

In Kandahar, female healthcare workers are only allowed to work if they obtain a “mahram” (male guardian) ID, a process that is complex, time-consuming, and requires local approval. Women are also prohibited from traveling more than 78 kilometers without a male guardian.

UNAMA has documented similar restrictions in Ghor, Uruzgan, and Farah provinces, where women and girls are banned from recreational areas, parks, sports facilities, and public baths, which are now reserved exclusively for men.

Ban on Work and Increasing Threats Against Female Employees
Despite the Taliban’s claims that Islam allows women to work, UNAMA reports severe restrictions and threats against female workers. Beauty salons across the country have been shut down, and women who secretly operated these salons have been arrested.

Female UN employees have also faced serious threats, including death threats. In May, several Afghan women working with UNAMA and other UN agencies were threatened by unidentified individuals, prompting the UN to implement additional security measures.

While the Taliban’s Ministry of Justice has issued over 2,000 legal licenses to male lawyers, no female lawyers have been allowed to renew their licenses or practice law.

Gender-Based Violence: Forced Marriages and Torture
UNAMA has documented numerous cases of gender-based violence, including forced marriages, detentions, and torture of women. Although the Taliban issued a decree in 2021 banning forced marriages, reports indicate that some Taliban officials are directly involved in such cases.

The report also notes that Taliban courts claim to have reviewed thousands of cases related to women’s rights, but the details and outcomes of these cases remain undisclosed, raising concerns about transparency.

Public Executions and Corporal Punishment
UNAMA confirmed that the Taliban carried out three public executions in Badghis, Nimroz, and Farah provinces over the past three months. These executions were carried out in public by the victims’ relatives and approved by Taliban courts.

During the same period, at least 234 people, including 185 men, 48 women, and one child, were publicly flogged. These punishments are carried out regularly and weekly.

Threats Against Returnees and Ethnic Detentions
UNAMA confirmed that the Taliban’s announced general amnesty is not being implemented in practice. Returnees, particularly former government employees, security personnel, civil activists, and journalists, continue to face threats, arbitrary detentions, and torture.

In one case, UNAMA reported the detention of 87 ethnic Uzbeks in Dawlatabad district, Faryab province, following clashes between locals and the Taliban. Although many detainees were released, concerns about ethnic discrimination have increased.

Media Restrictions and Public Space Control
Private media outlets are under increasing pressure from the Taliban, who have banned the publication of images of living beings and political programs in many provinces. The Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture has issued new guidelines for media censorship, leading many outlets to cease operations or lay off staff.

At least five people have been arrested for posting “inappropriate” videos on social media.

Civilian Casualties and Security Incidents
Explosive remnants of war have killed or injured 70 civilians, mostly children. Border clashes between the Taliban and Pakistani forces have also resulted in civilian casualties.

In Badakhshan, the Taliban killed at least 10 protesters during a crackdown on poppy crop destruction, injuring dozens more. In Jerm district, one man was killed and six others injured when the Taliban opened fire on protesters. In Khash district, at least eight men were killed and 22 others, including a girl, were injured in a similar incident.

Arbitrary Detentions and Pressure on Civil Activists
UNAMA reported that many detentions have been carried out without specific charges or due process. Civil society activists and human rights defenders have been threatened, intimidated, or detained, with their families also facing pressure.

Torture and Violations of Due Process
UNAMA documented cases of torture and mistreatment in detention centers, including beatings, food deprivation, and death threats. In some cases, defendants were denied access to lawyers, and trials were held behind closed doors.

The report paints a grim picture of human rights in Afghanistan, with the Taliban’s policies systematically violating the rights of Afghan citizens. UNAMA has called on the international community to speak out against these abuses and halt the forced return of Afghan refugees without individual assessments.