The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) released a report regarding human rights in the country on Tuesday, providing reports of arbitrary arrest, torture, and killings. UNAMA’s latest report is based on monitoring undertaken by its Human Rights Service and covers the period from April to June 2024.

UNAMA Human Rights documented “at least 60 instances of arbitrary arrest and detention, at least 10 instances of torture and ill-treatment, verbal threats and at least five killings of former government officials and former ANDSF (Afghan National Defense and Security Forces) members” over this period. The service notes that reports of such violations “highlight the risk of torture, ill-treatment and other irreparable harm” individuals encounter after being forcibly returned to Afghanistan. Amnesty International had previously called for universal jurisdiction against Taliban members violating international law based on a UNAMA report.

Regarding the rights of women and girls since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, the report outlined several new restrictions that had been implemented, further restricting women’s rights to work and freedom of movement. The majority of female civil servants, with some exceptions for women working in the health, education and security sectors, were ordered by the de facto Taliban authorities to stay home. In the past few months, de facto provincial departments have been directed to “standardise” the salaries of women civil servants hired by the former Republic administration to 5,000 Afghanis (approximately $70 USD). Women found violating travelling orders would face harsh consequences.

According to the report, several attacks claimed by Islamic State—Khorasan Province (ISKP) targeting Shi’a Muslims resulted in civilian casualties. In April, an improvised explosive device (IED) targeting a civilian minibus was detonated, wounding at least four adult men in Kabul. Later that month, a gunman fired at worshippers in a Shi’a mosque in Herat province, killing six people and wounding one woman. In May, a gunman opened fire on two tourist vehicles in Bamyan city, killing five adults and wounding six others. Another IED was detonated in Kandahar province that month, killing one civilian and injuring at least three other individuals.

Civilian casualties were also attributed to the operations to clear poppy fields in Badakhshan province, where de facto security forces fired into crowds of protestors on multiple occasions. Cross-border incidents between de facto security forces and Pakistani military forces also resulted in civilian casualties.

The report documented the de facto authorities’ continued implementation of judicial corporal punishment in public. Public floggings of individuals convicted of various crimes were carried out regularly in large groups. According to the report, various de facto ministries have made announcements concerning the administration of justice. In April, the de facto Ministry of Justice stated its commitment to “implementing Sharia and that the laws of the previous government have been annulled in the country.”

At the end of March, the Ministry announced the prohibition of political parties, suspending several media outlets with alleged political affiliation. More TV channels have been suspended in the past few months and additional restrictions have been imposed on journalists.