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Foreign ministers of 12 countries call for lifting restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan
Foreign ministers of 12 countries in a meeting Tuesday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York called for lifting restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan.
The meeting titled “Addressing systematic gender-based discrimination against women and girls in Afghanistan” was co-hosted by Albania, Belgium, Cabo Verde, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, France, Germany, Guatemala, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta and Spain.
In a joint declaration, the ministers said that the ban on Afghan women working for UN and NGOs “severely impacts the effective delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance and basic services, putting at risk the lives of millions of Afghans, especially women-led households.”
“The Taliban’s (IEA) measures to exclude women from the Afghan society are unparalleled worldwide and may amount to gender persecution and a crime against humanity. We therefore urge the Taliban (IEA) to lift these restrictions immediately and to safeguard humanitarian principles,” the statement said.
“We urge the Taliban (IEA) to safeguard the rights of all Afghans, to allow women and girls free and equal access to public life and fundamental rights and freedoms, including education and work, and restore civic space, allowing NGOs, civil society organisations, human rights defenders, journalists, and media workers to operate freely,” the statement said.
The ministers also called for an “inclusive and representative political process with the full participation of all Afghans, including women and girls, and persons belonging to ethnic and religious groups and minorities, is required to ensure sustainable peace, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan.”
This comes as the Islamic Emirate has said it is committed to ensuring women and girls’ rights to education and work according to the Sharia law.
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Muttaqi and Iranian representative discuss expansion of bilateral relations
Amir Khan Muttaqi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, met on Wednesday with Mohammad Reza Bahrami, a representative of Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the sidelines of the eighth meeting of the Moscow Format and discussed ways to expand bilateral relations.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the two sides exchanged views on Afghanistan-Iran relations, regional developments, and ways to strengthen mutual cooperation between the two countries.
Muttaqi expressed appreciation for Iran’s engagement with Afghanistan and its constructive participation in regional meetings, emphasizing the need to further expand relations between Kabul and Tehran.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Reza Bahrami stressed the importance of relations between the two countries and shared Iran’s views on regional cooperation, stability, and expanding economic engagement between Afghanistan and Iran.
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British special forces could face prosecution over alleged Afghanistan crimes
The UK Ministry of Defence identified material suggesting that British service personnel may have committed “serious offences” in Afghanistan, including possible murder, manslaughter and grievous bodily harm, a High Court hearing in London was told.
The information was referred by UK Special Forces (UKSF) to the Defence Serious Crime Command earlier this year, The Independent reported.
According to the court, any criminal investigation into the allegations has been paused pending the outcome of the Afghanistan Inquiry.
The inquiry, chaired by Lord Justice Haddon-Cave, is examining allegations that UK special forces unlawfully killed people during operations in Afghanistan between 2010 and 2013, as well as claims of a subsequent cover-up.
It is also investigating allegations of inadequate investigations by the Royal Military Police.
The latest court proceedings relate to a senior British soldier, identified only as Witness IIA126, who is challenging the inquiry’s decision to restrict his and his lawyers’ access to certain evidence.
His lawyer, Kate Grange KC, argued that the restrictions had prevented the soldier from reviewing evidence concerning an allegation that a person was shot in the head while possibly asleep during a “deliberate detention operation.”
The inquiry is opposing the legal challenge, arguing that the restrictions were necessary to protect the identities of witnesses whose evidence was considered highly sensitive.
Jonathan Glasson KC, representing the inquiry, told the court that the discovery of material potentially indicating serious offences did not mean that any particular individual would necessarily face criminal charges.
The inquiry is expected to continue its examination of the allegations, with a written judgment on the latest legal challenge due at a later date.
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Afghan agriculture minister in Tashkent for international forum
Afghanistan’s Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, Attaullah Omari, has arrived in Uzbekistan’s capital, Tashkent, to attend an international forum on food security and sustainable development.
Omari is visiting Tashkent at the invitation of Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Agriculture and is scheduled to participate in the Global Technical Forum for Landlocked Countries on Food Security and Sustainable Development Goals, being held from October 7 to 8.
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Agriculture said the visit will provide an opportunity to discuss expanding bilateral and regional cooperation with Uzbekistan in agriculture, irrigation, livestock, trade and investment.
The Afghan delegation is also expected to meet officials and representatives from participating countries to discuss agricultural exports, trade, investment opportunities, and the exchange of technical knowledge and expertise.
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