(some are refraining from working out of fear) and given no place in the new “government” announced by the Taliban. Crackdowns on protestors have left several people injured and dead. Journalists are facing significant intimidation and home searches, and are prevented from working through arbitrary arrest, detention, and ill-treatment. Human rights defenders are in hiding, afraid for their lives and those of their families, while some have already faced reprisals. The UNHRC convened a special session on 24 August, in recognition of the urgent need to address the human rights situation in Afghanistan. 201 While the resolution adopted stressed, “the need for transparent and prompt investigation into reports of all violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law, committed by all parties to the conflict, and to hold those responsible to account,” it fell short of creating a mechanism to do this, despite clear and consistent calls from the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Special Procedures, and civil society. Instead, it simply mandated further updates by the High Commissioner for Human Rights. It is essential that the UNHRC proceed to establish an independent investigative mechanism during its 48th regular session without delay, building on the initial responses delivered by the UNHRC special session and UNSC urgent resolution. On 30 August, the UN Security Council (UNSC) adopted an urgent resolution on Afghanistan.202 The Council must monitor compliance with its resolution, including through reporting by the Human Rights Unit in the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), 203 and be ready to implement and enforce its resolution through further measures. The UN must supply UNAMA with the resources and on-the-ground staff necessary for robust human rights monitoring. On 17 September the UNSC unanimously adopted Resolution 2596,204 providing UNAMA with an extended mandate for six months until 17 March 2022. This means that the provisions in UNSC Resolution 2543 of 2020205 regarding the role of the OHCHR to monitor human rights and support the rule of law continues to apply. The authorities in Afghanistan must respect and protect human rights, especially those of women, children, and minorities’ ensure the right to full, equal, and meaningful participation of women; adhere to the rule of law; allow Afghans to leave Afghanistan; and respect international humanitarian law. It is apparent that these minimum safeguards are not being met at this time, by the Taliban and other armed groups such as the ISKP, as they continue to perpetrate violations and abuses with impunity. This poses a huge responsibility for the international community to take a strong stance before the UN Human Rights Council and the UN Security Council (UNSC), to ensure that the human rights situation in Afghanistan is closely monitored, and that the authorities are held to the human rights standards set out in international human rights law and in UNSC Resolution 2593.206 Engagements with the authorities in Afghanistan to ensure respect for international human rights law must commence immediately, and human rights violations and abuses must be independently monitored, verified, and documented. It is therefore imperative that a robust international mechanism is established for that purpose. Amnesty International. August 24, 2021 3:54 pm “Afghanistan: Shameful failure of UNHRC special session to address escalating human rights crisis”. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2021/08/afghanistan-shameful-failure-of-unhrc-special-session-to-address-escalating-human-rights-andhumanitarian-crisis/. 201 UN Security Council Resolution 2593. https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/atf/cf/%7B65BFCF9B-6D27-4E9C-8CD3CF6E4FF96FF9%7D/s%20res%202593.pdf. 202 203 Human Rights Unit. UNAMA. https://unama.unmissions.org/human-rights. UN Security Council Resolution 2596. https://undocs.org/en/S/RES/2596(2021). Also see UN. Meetings Coverage and Press Releases. 2021. “Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2596 (2021), Security Council Extends United Nations Mission in Afghanistan for Six Months, as Taliban Establishes Rule across Country”. https://www.un.org/press/en/2021/sc14639.doc.htm. 204 205 UN Security Council Resolution 2543. https://undocs.org/s/res/2543%20(2020). 206 UN Security Council. Resolution 2593. 30 August 2021. S/Res/2593. https://undocs.org/S/RES/2593(2021). THE FATE OF THOUSANDS HANGING IN THE BALANCE: AFGHANISTAN’S FALL INTO THE HANDS OF THE TALIBAN Amnesty International 26