In response to the Taliban's growing restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan, a group of women in Spain has initiated a petition urging their government to address the issue before the International Criminal Court (ICC). The call comes amid international outrage over the newly introduced Taliban law, known as the law on commanding the right, which imposes severe limits on women's freedoms.
Mujeres de @mas_demo lanzamos una carta para pedir a @desdelamoncloa que inicie el procedimiento ante el Tribunal Penal Internacional contra la vulneración de derechos de las mujeres afganas. En pocas horas, más de 1000 firmas. Y creciendo.
https://t.co/BGZef8EGOM @el_pais
Cristina Monge, a political scientist and prominent public figure, shared details of the petition on her social media platform, 'X' (formerly Twitter). Monge explained that the campaign is spearheaded by Más Democracia, a grassroots political group focused on enhancing democratic participation through influencing institutions, parties, and public discourse.
The petition calls on the ICC to classify the Taliban's treatment of Afghan women and girls as a "crime against humanity." The letter supporting the initiative states: “Those responsible for the over 100 oppressive rules and decrees must be held accountable for their actions.” Within hours of its launch, the petition gathered over 1,000 signatures, demonstrating widespread support for the cause.
The petition organizers, who describe themselves as "Spanish women with a voice and rights," are also calling on the Spanish government to take a leading role in condemning the Taliban's institutionalized violence against Afghan women and girls. They further advocate for international efforts to eliminate these abuses and secure fundamental rights for all women.
The letter paints a bleak picture of the current situation for women in Afghanistan, stating that they live "under a regime of repression that systematically violates their basic human rights." It details the oppression, violence, and daily humiliation they face and urges governments and international bodies to take decisive action. The petition argues that the treatment of Afghan women constitutes a "crime against humanity" under Article 7 of the Rome Statute and should be recognized as gender apartheid, echoing calls from the United Nations Rapporteur.
This initiative comes shortly after the Taliban introduced their latest law, which prohibits Afghan women from having their voices heard outside their homes. The law has drawn condemnation from both domestic and international communities, intensifying calls for global action to safeguard the rights of Afghan women.
Just last week, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) criticized the Taliban's newly introduced law. Ravina Shamdasani, the OHCHR's Chief Spokesperson, called for its immediate repeal, citing the law's severe violations of women's rights and autonomy.
The law enforces strict rules on women, requiring them to wear full-body coverings, forbidding their voices from being heard in public, and restricting their movement without a male guardian. Even the sound of a woman's voice outside the home is considered immoral.
Roza Otunbayeva, the UN's top envoy to Afghanistan, shared these concerns, describing the law as a "troubling glimpse" into the country's future. She condemned its punitive nature, which includes threats of arrest for minor offenses and the curtailment of personal freedoms.
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