Amnesty International has launched a global petition demanding the international community takes a stronger stance against what they say is human rights violations in Afghanistan.

In a statement issued by the watchdog’s South Asia office, Amnesty International said “the international response to hold the Taliban accountable, prevent human rights catastrophe and promote human rights in Afghanistan has been selective, symbolic and at times against fundamental principles of human rights.”

The watchdog called for unified and stronger actions to establish an accountability mechanism to hold the Islamic Emirate accountable for human rights abuses.

They also called for the use of “all forms of leverage to pressure the Taliban (IEA) to respect and protect the rights of women and girls, end gender persecution and enable the space for women’s meaningful participation in social, political and cultural spheres.”

In addition, Amnesty International called on the world to “take concrete measures towards addressing the practice of corporal punishment by the Taliban (IEA) and support the establishment of competent, independent and impartial formal justice mechanism to enable access to justice to the Afghanistan population, including women.”

The petition comes on the third anniversary of the Islamic Emirate’s rise to power.

On August 15, 2021, the Islamic Emirate regained control of the country after former president Ashraf Ghani fled Kabul and foreign troops ramped up efforts to withdraw from the country.