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STORY: OHCHR / AFGHANISTAN HUMAN RIGHTS
TRT: 02:04
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 22 AUGUST 2023 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / FILE
FILE - GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Wide shot, exterior, Palais des Nations
22 AUGUST 2023, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
2. Wide shot, podium
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Laurence, spokesperson, United Nations Human Rights (OHCHR):
“The Human Rights Service of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) published a report this morning detailing allegations of serious human rights violations by the de facto Taliban authorities against hundreds of former government officials and former armed forces members. These violations were carried out despite assurances from the Taliban of a general amnesty for the same people.”
4. Med shot, briefing room
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Laurence, spokesperson, United Nations Human Rights (OHCHR): “Between the Taliban takeover on 15 August 2021 and 30 June 2023, the Human Rights Service has obtained credible reports that members of the de facto authorities were responsible for 218 extrajudicial killings, 14 enforced disappearances, over 144 instances of torture and ill-treatment, and 424 arbitrary arrests and detentions. Most of these violations were committed against former Afghan National Army members, police, and National Directorate of Security officials.”
6. Close up, laptop
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Laurence, spokesperson, United Nations Human Rights (OHCHR):
“The High Commissioner for Human Rights says the report presents a sobering picture of the treatment of individuals affiliated with the former government and security forces of Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover. This despite pledges made by the de facto authorities that they would not be targeted. This is a betrayal of the people’s trust.”
8. Med shot, briefing room
According to the UN Human Rights Office, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) published a report detailing allegations of serious human rights violations by the de facto Taliban authorities against hundreds of former government officials and former armed forces members.
At the bi-weekly press briefing today (22 Aug) in Geneva, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR)’s spokesperson Jeremy Laurence, said that these violations were carried out despite assurances from the Taliban of a general amnesty for the same people.”
He also said, “Between the Taliban takeover on 15 August 2021 and 30 June 2023, the Human Rights Service has obtained credible reports that members of the de facto authorities were responsible for 218 extrajudicial killings, 14 enforced disappearances, over 144 instances of torture and ill-treatment, and 424 arbitrary arrests and detentions. Most of these violations were committed against former Afghan National Army members, police, and National Directorate of Security officials,” Laurence stated.
He continued, “The High Commissioner for Human Rights says the report presents a sobering picture of the treatment of individuals affiliated with the former government and security forces of Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover. This despite pledges made by the de facto authorities that they would not be targeted. This is a betrayal of the people’s trust.”
The report details the violations across all 34 provinces and the testimonies of victims and their families.
Laurence concluded, “The High Commissioner urges the de facto authorities to carefully consider the findings of the report and to uphold their obligations under international human rights law by preventing further violations and holding perpetrators to account.”
