HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT RIGHTS SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN
Press Release
HR/4303
HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT RIGHTS SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN
19961008 (Delayed in transmission.)GENEVA, 4 October (UN Information Service) -- The High Commissioner for Human Rights, José Ayala-Lasso, has sent today a message to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan, Norbert Holl, asking him to urgently convey to the leader of the Supreme Council of the Taliban, Mullah Mohammad Omar, once again his strong concern for the situation of human rights in that country. Following a meeting with the Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Afghanistan last week, the High Commissioner appealed on 27 September to Mullah Mohammad Omar to ensure the basic rights of all Afghans in keeping with international human rights standards.
In his message to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, the High Commissioner emphasized the legally binding obligations stemming from the large number of international human rights instruments which Afghanistan has ratified and signed over the years. Among the instruments signed by Afghanistan is the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. The international community is deeply concerned about the respect by the Taliban of all the commitments entered into by Afghanistan regarding the protection of all human rights, particularly those guaranteeing the basic rights of women, including the girl child. The High Commissioner invited the Taliban leadership to ensure respect for such rights as the right of women to work and the right of girls to education without discrimination, bearing in mind Afghanistan's obligations under international human rights instruments.
* *** *