Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, has been barred from entering the country, according to a diplomatic source who spoke to AFP on Tuesday. The source confirmed that Richard Bennett was informed months ago that he would not be welcomed back to Afghanistan. This decision follows reports from local media and a statement from a Taliban government spokesman.
Richard Bennett, who has served in his role for two years as of May 1, has been a vocal critic of the Taliban’s human rights policies since their return to power in August 2021. Under Taliban rule, Afghanistan has seen the implementation of strict Islamic laws that have severely restricted women’s rights. These restrictions, which have been condemned by the United Nations as “gender apartheid,” include barring women from secondary and higher education, many jobs, public parks, gyms, and travel without a male guardian.
The Taliban government remains unrecognized by any other state, with its policies towards women being a significant barrier to international acceptance. The regime has consistently dismissed criticism from the UN and the global community, and it appears that the ban on Richard Bennett is a continuation of this pattern.
According to diplomatic sources, while the Taliban’s issue was with Richard Bennett personally rather than with human rights monitoring in general, their spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid stated that Richard Bennett was banned “because he was appointed to Afghanistan to spread propaganda and he is not someone whose words we can trust.” Mujahid further accused Richard Bennett of exaggerating issues for propaganda purposes.
Richard Bennett has been outspoken on human rights issues in Afghanistan, particularly regarding the treatment of women. Recently, he joined 29 other UN experts in urging the international community to not normalize the Taliban’s regime or its human rights abuses. He also criticized the exclusion of women’s rights and Afghan civil society from UN-hosted talks in Qatar, calling it a significant setback in addressing human rights issues.
In response to the ban, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, emphasized the critical role of special rapporteurs in global human rights monitoring but did not confirm the specific details of the ban. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) continues to monitor and report on human rights conditions in the country, despite the obstacles posed by the Taliban’s restrictive policies.
This development highlights ongoing tensions between the UN and the Taliban over human rights issues and underscores the challenges faced by international bodies in addressing human rights abuses in Afghanistan.
