RASC News Agency: The Afghanistan Freedom Front has lauded the decision by Chile, France, Mexico, Spain, Costa Rica, and Luxembourg to refer the case of systemic violations of Afghanistani women’s and girls’ rights to the International Criminal Court (ICC). In a statement issued on Friday, November 29, the Freedom Front stated:
“The time has come for the International Criminal Court to formally recognize the Taliban’s brutal treatment of Afghanistani women as gender apartheid and a crime against humanity. We urge the ICC to take decisive action to ensure justice and safeguard the rights of Afghanistani women.”
The statement underscored the unyielding determination of Afghanistani women, noting that despite global indifference, silence, and, in some instances, collaboration with the Taliban, Afghanistani women have neither abandoned hope nor relented in their fight against the group’s oppressive rule. On Thursday, the governments of Chile, France, Mexico, Spain, Costa Rica, and Luxembourg issued a joint declaration announcing the referral of Afghanistan’s situation to the ICC prosecutor’s office. The Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained:
“Given the escalating crisis and the deteriorating conditions facing Afghan women and girls, these nations have referred the situation in Afghanistan to the ICC for investigation.” The joint statement further emphasized:
“We deem it imperative to bring to the ICC prosecutor’s attention the ongoing atrocities in Afghanistan, particularly the systematic and continuous violations of women’s and girls’ rights.”
The six nations urged the ICC prosecutor to investigate the crimes perpetrated against Afghanistani women and girls following the Taliban’s seizure of power in 2021. Since their return to control, the Taliban has imposed sweeping restrictions on fundamental freedoms, systematically depriving women of their rights to education and employment.
Earlier this year, Germany, Australia, Canada, and the Netherlands declared their intention to hold the Taliban accountable under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women by initiating legal proceedings in international courts.
