Rights Advocates Urge UN to Hold Taliban Accountable for Crimes in Afghanistan 

GENEVA - Participants at a special session on the human rights situation in Afghanistan have urged the U.N. Human Rights Council to investigate abuses committed by the Taliban and to hold them accountable for their crimes.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michele Bachelet kicked off the proceedings.  She gave a harrowing account of the many credible reports her office has received of violations committed by the Taliban against the Afghan civilian population, including summary executions and restrictions on the rights of women. She noted commitments made by the Taliban to respect the rights of women, and of ethnic and religious minorities.  She said they also have pledged to refrain from reprisals against Afghans who worked with the international community.  She said the onus now was on the Taliban to honor those commitments.  "I urge this [human rights] council to take bold and vigorous action, commensurate with the gravity of this crisis, by establishing a dedicated mechanism to closely monitor the evolving human rights situation in Afghanistan, including, in particular, the Taliban’s implementation of its promises, with a focus on prevention," she said.