Fawzia Koofi Calls on EU to Pressure Taliban to End Human Rights Violations

Fawzia Koofi, a former member of the Afghan parliament, urged the European Union to pressure the Taliban to end human rights violations and hold violators accountable. Speaking at a two-day meeting of Taliban opponents in the European Parliament that began on Monday, Koofi described the situation for women under Taliban rule as a "gradual death" and accused the group of establishing "gender apartheid."

Koofi said the Taliban have turned Afghanistan into a center for extremist violent groups, contrary to their commitments in the Doha negotiations. She stated that the Taliban have systematically eliminated women from public life through repressive policies and launched a "war against women and anyone who has views opposing theirs." Koofi described the Taliban government as "by the Taliban and for the Taliban," warning that it has made Afghanistan an unreliable partner for the world and unsafe for its citizens.

She called for women's rights, human rights and the formation of an inclusive government to be top priorities in European diplomatic visits to Kabul. Koofi also urged the international community not to strengthen the Taliban if it is not supporting the Afghan people, and advocated accelerating Afghanistan's cases at the International Court of Justice while recognizing "gender apartheid" at the International Criminal Court. She highlighted emerging dialogues among Afghans to form a native narrative for change.

Zalmay Nishat, another speaker, said the Afghan democratic opposition has the capacity to restore human rights and democracy. He warned that the situation threatens Europe's security and stability through increased migration, growth of extremist networks and regional tensions. Nishat emphasized unity among political actors and women's organizations, stating that women's and girls' education is a non-negotiable fundamental Islamic principle with no religious basis for deprivation.