RASC News Agency: The United Nations plans to investigate reports of sexual assault, gang rape, and sexual slavery of women in Taliban prisons, according to The Spectator. On Sunday, June 23, The Spectator quoted Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, who stated that the UN is set to examine these allegations. Earlier, the U.S. State Department announced that 16 out of 90 female prisoners in three northern provinces became pregnant following assaults by the Taliban.
Reports of sexual violence by the Taliban against imprisoned women have raised significant concerns within the U.S. State Department and Richard Bennett. Richard Bennett remarked, “We are generally aware of the severe mistreatment by the Taliban, which includes not only sexual violence but also beatings, threats, and extortion of female prisoners.” The UN Special Rapporteur noted that a team of UN personnel is currently investigating the Taliban’s sexual abuse and mistreatment of Afghanistani women.
He mentioned that some prisons might be outside the jurisdiction of the official prison administration and could be privately controlled by Taliban intelligence and their commanders. Bennett highlighted this as a concern, noting that it might limit researchers’ access to accurate information. Furthermore, several women who have experienced imprisonment under the Taliban have repeatedly spoken about the mistreatment, torture, and sexual violence they endured.
In early May, the U.S. State Department released its annual human rights report on Afghanistan under Taliban rule. According to this report, at least 16 out of 90 female prisoners in Jawzjan, Faryab, and Samangan became pregnant after being raped by Taliban members. The Taliban authorities have reportedly ordered the termination of these pregnancies between the third and fifth months.
The U.S. State Department added in its report that there is no mechanism in place to support women who have been victims of sexual assault by the Taliban.
