Afghans protest in Vienna against the Taliban on the fourth anniversary of their rule

VIENNA: On fourth anniversary of Taliban’s return to power, protesting women and human rights activists issued a global resolution condemning Taliban’s actions. The resolution highlights severe restrictions on women’s education, work, and public presence, along with indoctrination of children with “terrorist” ideologies and discrimination against various ethnicities and religions. It warns that Taliban’s actions could constitute “crimes against humanity and structural terrorism.” The resolution calls on governments to refrain from any engagement or normalization of relations with Taliban, ensuring humanitarian aid is transparent and prohibiting forced repatriation of refugees. The UN and human rights organizations urged to guarantee accountability for Taliban’s crimes and support for victims. Activists warned that ongoing Taliban rule poses a serious threat to women’s rights and freedom of expression, urging international community not to sacrifice Afghan women’s demands for political interests. A group of Afghan citizens gathered in Vienna, Austria, in front of German embassy, demanding that Germany sever all contacts with Taliban and not grant them legitimacy. They emphasized that Taliban seized power by force and possesses no domestic or international legitimacy. Their resolution states that legitimizing Taliban contradicts international principles and right to self-determination for Afghan people, saying that Taliban has implemented a “gender apartheid” policy, committed extrajudicial killings, and engaged in ethnic cleansing while suppressing freedoms. Engaging with Taliban, according to protesters, would betray the fundamental values of European Union and normalize international crimes. Protesters called on Germany and other European countries to provide safe migration pathways for at-risk individuals and to pursue global legal action against Taliban leaders.