New York: taliban security forces in northern Afghanistan Panjshiro Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Friday that the province illegally detained and tortured residents accused of having links with an opposition armed group.
Since mid-May 2022, fighting in the province has intensified as National Resistance Front (NRF) forces launched an attack. Taliban units and outposts. The Taliban have responded by deploying thousands of fighters to the province, which have launched searches targeting communities they allege are backing the NRF.
During search operations in other provinces, Taliban forces have carried out brief executions and forced disappearances of captured fighters and other captives, which are war crimes.
“Taliban forces in Panjshir province have resorted to beating civilians in response to fighting against the opposition National Resistance Front,” said ally Patricia Gossman. Asia Director of Human Rights Watch. “The Taliban’s failure to punish those responsible for serious misconduct in its ranks over a long period of time puts more civilians at risk.”
A human rights advocate who has interviewed several former detainees and a source with direct knowledge of Taliban custody spoke to Human Rights Watch about Panjshir’s situation.
In early June, former detainees reported that Taliban security forces detained around 80 residents in Panjshir’s Khenj district and beat them up for forcing them to provide them with information about the NRF. After several days, the Taliban released 70, but continue to hold 10 people whose relatives accuse of being members of the group, a form of collective punishment.
The former detainees said that around 100 others, who allegedly have links with the NRF, have been kept in the district jail. No one had access to his family or lawyers. Others have been kept in informal detention facilities.
According to the New York-based rights group, those detained should be immediately charged with a criminal offense or released.
“Protections of international human rights law also apply. Depriving detainees access to lawyers and family members is prohibited and increases the risk of torture and forced disappearance. Collective punishment – the punishment of individuals for the alleged actions of others – Violation of laws. War and a war crime,” HRW said.
The NRF, headed by Ahmed Masood, is the major armed opposition group in Panjshir and neighboring provinces. This includes some fighters who had previously served in the Afghan National Security Forces.
Since mid-May 2022, fighting in the province has intensified as National Resistance Front (NRF) forces launched an attack. Taliban units and outposts. The Taliban have responded by deploying thousands of fighters to the province, which have launched searches targeting communities they allege are backing the NRF.
During search operations in other provinces, Taliban forces have carried out brief executions and forced disappearances of captured fighters and other captives, which are war crimes.
“Taliban forces in Panjshir province have resorted to beating civilians in response to fighting against the opposition National Resistance Front,” said ally Patricia Gossman. Asia Director of Human Rights Watch. “The Taliban’s failure to punish those responsible for serious misconduct in its ranks over a long period of time puts more civilians at risk.”
A human rights advocate who has interviewed several former detainees and a source with direct knowledge of Taliban custody spoke to Human Rights Watch about Panjshir’s situation.
In early June, former detainees reported that Taliban security forces detained around 80 residents in Panjshir’s Khenj district and beat them up for forcing them to provide them with information about the NRF. After several days, the Taliban released 70, but continue to hold 10 people whose relatives accuse of being members of the group, a form of collective punishment.
The former detainees said that around 100 others, who allegedly have links with the NRF, have been kept in the district jail. No one had access to his family or lawyers. Others have been kept in informal detention facilities.
According to the New York-based rights group, those detained should be immediately charged with a criminal offense or released.
“Protections of international human rights law also apply. Depriving detainees access to lawyers and family members is prohibited and increases the risk of torture and forced disappearance. Collective punishment – the punishment of individuals for the alleged actions of others – Violation of laws. War and a war crime,” HRW said.
The NRF, headed by Ahmed Masood, is the major armed opposition group in Panjshir and neighboring provinces. This includes some fighters who had previously served in the Afghan National Security Forces.