UN Special Rapporteur Calls on Taliban to Account for Crackdown on Herat Protests
Richard Bennett, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan, has called for accountability from the Taliban in response to the suppression of public protests in Herat province. He emphasized that those responsible for the use of force against protesters must be held to account.
On Tuesday, June 9, Bennett wrote on his X page that he had received reports of excessive force used against protesters in Herat. According to him, the immediate de-escalation of tensions and respect for citizens’ freedom of expression, especially that of women and girls, are fundamental responsibilities of the Taliban administration.
He asserted, “Those responsible for the violence must be held accountable.” These comments come amid growing concerns about the restriction of civil liberties and violent responses to protest gatherings across the country.
Earlier this morning, local sources in Herat reported that Taliban fighters opened fire on several residents in the Jebrail area who had gathered in protest. According to these reports, several people were injured as a result of the incident.
The crackdown on protests and the use of weapons against unarmed citizens have consistently drawn criticism from human rights organizations. However, the Taliban administration has yet to provide an official explanation regarding the incident.
