General situation

Cases
Location of case in SG report
2024-007-001
Relevant SG report
Year of the report
2024
Country Geolocation

Latitude: 33.93911

Longitude: 67.709953

Country Geolocation (linked Cases)
Afghanistan
From Region
UN body that raised the case prior to the SG report
  • UN Special Procedures: Country
  • UN (Dep.) High Commissioner on Human Rights
  • UN Human Rights Council: UN Human Rights Council - General
  • UN Peace Operation / Political mission
  • UN Security Council
Type of record
General situation addressed
Type of rights defended
  • Unclear in SG Report
  • Women’s rights
Reported trigger of reprisal
  1. The UN Security Council1, the High Commissioner for Human Rights,2 UNAMA3 and special procedures mandate holders of the Human Rights Council4 reported concerns over shrinking civic space and the intimidation and targeting of civil society organizations, as well as the use of arbitrary arrest and detention, threats and ill treatment against media actors and civil society activists, and the targeting of women human rights defenders.5 The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan reported during the period that persons suspected of cooperating with foreign organizations have been disproportionately targeted and that civil society organizations, in particular those that have been instrumental in supporting human rights over the past decades, have been targeted,forcibly closed or effectively dissolved as a result of the non-issuance of licences to operate.
Engagement with UN body
  • Unclear
Type of attempted engagement
  • Unclear
Reprisal information
  1. The UN Security Council1, the High Commissioner for Human Rights,2 UNAMA3 and special procedures mandate holders of the Human Rights Council4 reported concerns over shrinking civic space and the intimidation and targeting of civil society organizations, as well as the use of arbitrary arrest and detention, threats and ill treatment against media actors and civil society activists, and the targeting of women human rights defenders.5 The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan reported during the period that persons suspected of cooperating with foreign organizations have been disproportionately targeted and that civil society organizations, in particular those that have been instrumental in supporting human rights over the past decades, have been targeted,forcibly closed or effectively dissolved as a result of the non-issuance of licences to operate.
Types of reprisals suffered
  • Administrative reprisal
  • Detention/Imprisonment: Detention/Imprisonment - General
  • Threats/Intimidations (incl. "fear of reprisal")
Alleged/likely perpetrators
State actors
Was the reprisal based on new legislation?
No
Does the report make general comment about country’s environment for engagement with UN?
Yes
Further case development

On 23 October 2023, the Human Rights Council adopted resolution 54/1 on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan calling for the provision of an enabling environment for civil society actors – especially women’s and women-led organizations and leaders whose work is impacted by restrictions targeting women – and the media be able to carry out their activities without hindrance or fear of reprisal. The resolution also calls upon all relevant actors in Afghanistan to ensure that civil society organizations, human rights defenders, victims, survivors, their families, and other individuals have unhindered access to the Special Rapporteur, the special procedures of the Human Rights Council and the treaty bodies, and other international bodies seized with the situation in Afghanistan, without fear of reprisal, intimidation, or attack. (A/HRC/RES/54/1 paras. 19 and 25).

Was the case raised by a State at the UN?
No
Is the country cited for a "pattern of reprisal" in the context of this case?
No
Is a pattern of reprisals mentioned otherwise in the context of this case?
No
Does the report cite "self-censorship" as an issue in the context of this case?
No