Afghanistan has barred the UN official from entering the country

A diplomatic source told AFP that the UN Special Representative for Human Rights in Afghanistan has been barred from entering the country.

On behalf of the local media The Taliban A diplomatic source confirmed to AFP after news of the ban, citing a government spokesman, that “Richard Bennett was informed several months ago of the decision not to welcome him back to Afghanistan.” will.’

Bennett completed two years in the post on May 1.

Since coming to power in August 2021, Taliban officials have imposed laws based on a strict interpretation of Islamic law.

Women have to bear the brunt of these restrictions, which the United Nations has described as ‘gender discrimination’, keeping them out of public life.

The Taliban regime is not recognized by any other government, largely because of its restrictions on women.

Taliban officials have rejected criticism of their policies by the United Nations and the international community.

The Afghan government delegation was headed by Acting Minister of Industry and Trade Alhaji Nooruddin Azizi, while the Pakistani delegation was headed by Commerce Secretary Muhammad Khurram Agha (Afghan Taliban Media).

According to diplomatic sources, when the ban was apparently imposed a few months ago, the Taliban regime emphasized that their problem was not with human rights monitoring and reporting, but with Bennett personally.

Earlier on Tuesday, Afghanistan’s TOLO News quoted Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid as saying that Bennett was banned because he was deployed to spread propaganda in Afghanistan and was not someone who They can trust the words of

He said that they raised minor issues and exaggerated them for propaganda.

In recent months, Bennett has issued strong statements about women’s rights in Afghanistan.

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Last week, as Taliban officials marked the third anniversary of their takeover of Afghanistan, Bennett, along with 29 other UN experts, called on the international community in a statement to “remove the appalling human rights violations committed by the original authorities or theirs.” Don’t make it normal.’

In late June, Bennett condemned the decision not to invite representatives of human rights and Afghan women and civil society to UN-hosted talks in Qatar.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) monitors and reports on human rights in the country.

21 thousand Musical instruments destroyed

According to Afghan Taliban officials, the ministry has successfully prevented more than 300 cases of forced marriages and nearly 300 cases of trafficking of women during the past year. Additionally, more than 1,000 enmities have been converted to friendship through the ministry’s mediation, and in more than 700 cases, women who were deprived of their inheritance rights were able to enjoy their inheritance rights.

Meanwhile, Director of Planning and Legislation, Muhibullah Makhlis, said that the Taliban destroyed more than 21,000 musical instruments in the past year and around 1,000 amulet makers and magicians were arrested and handed over to judicial authorities.

He added that the ministry had received 9,808 complaints out of which 5,486 have been resolved. Out of 13,391 persons involved in immoral activities, 7,204 were detained for 24 hours and 4,737 others for 72 hours as disciplinary punishment.’

The ministry also reported that more than 13,000 people involved in immoral activities were punished as a corrective measure, and more than 1,000 were handed over to judicial authorities.

Officials of the Ministry of Law and Order gave this information during a press conference at the Information and Media Center on Tuesday in a program called ‘Achievements of Emirate Institutions in One Year’.

Taliban officials say they are committed to providing women’s rights within the framework of Sharia law.

In this press conference, officials of the Ministry of Law and Prohibition of the Taliban government discussed the preparation of legal and policy documents, establishment and filing of ‘prohibition of beliefs and hatred’ in civil and military organizations and public places. Activation of complaint number 191, capacity building programs for its ombudsman and monitoring of implementation of rules and regulations are the main activities of this ministry in the last year.

The Taliban government considers music to be a cause of ‘moral corruption’ and forbidden.

Videos of their men abusing local artistes in some areas and smashing and burning their musical instruments have also been released, prompting backlash on social media.