A special session of the Permanent People’s Tribunal is underway in Madrid. The three-day hearing aims to hold the Taliban accountable for human rights violations and provides a platform for Afghan women to share their stories.
The tribunal will hear testimonies from survivors and expert witnesses. It will assess the Taliban’s actions against international law. The goal is to determine if these actions constitute gender persecution, which is a crime against humanity.
The event was organised by a coalition of four Afghan civil society organisations. These include Rawadari, led by former Afghan human rights commissioner Shaharzad Akbar. The organisers stated that a grassroots mechanism was crucial. It helps to amplify the voices of Afghan women where formal justice is absent.
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A symbolic court with moral weight
The Permanent People’s Tribunal was founded in Italy in 1979. Its judgments are not legally binding. However, they carry significant symbolic and moral authority. They often shape public opinion and can inspire future legal action.
The findings of this hearing will be submitted to the United Nations and other institutions. This process documents and analyses the evidence of systematic rights violations.
Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have severely restricted women’s rights. They have been stripped of their rights to education, work, and movement.
The UN notes that girls are banned from school after the age of 13. Women are also barred from universities and most jobs. This has created one of the world’s largest gender gaps in employment. The Afghan women’s tribunal aims to highlight what many call “gender apartheid.”
A preliminary statement is expected from the judges on 10 October, with a final, detailed judgment anticipated for December. Activists hope this process will resist the normalisation of the Taliban’s crimes.
Image: Rukshana Media
