RASC News Agency: Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Afghanistan, has hailed the recent ruling by the European Court of Justice, which affirms that Afghanistani women may seek asylum solely based on their gender and nationality. Bennett described the decision as a critical and commendable step, underscoring that Afghanistani women are rightfully entitled to asylum protection.
In a post on his X account, Bennett called the ruling a “landmark” for the defense of Afghanistani women’s rights, emphasizing the urgent need for the international community to support these vulnerable individuals. “This judicial ruling is significant and highly commendable. We stand firmly behind it, and it must be upheld,” Bennett stated.
He further elaborated: “The gender and nationality of Afghanistani women alone constitute sufficient grounds for asylum.” The European Court of Justice issued the ruling following the denial of asylum claims from two Afghanistani women in Austria. The court concluded that, given the acute crisis surrounding women’s rights in Afghanistan, gender and nationality by themselves are compelling justifications for asylum.
According to the court’s decision, Afghanistani women qualify for asylum purely based on their nationality, as Afghanistan is deemed unsafe for them. The court’s order makes clear that Afghanistani nationality is in itself a legitimate basis for granting asylum. In the past, European nations had imposed stringent criteria for granting asylum. However, the court’s recent ruling has effectively dismantled these barriers, affirming that Afghanistani nationality alone is sufficient grounds for asylum.
