Top Tweets for #StandWithJustice

Madrid, Spain A number of Afghan citizens residing in Madrid gathered today in solidarity with the protesting women and people of Herat in front of Spain’s national television headquarters. They condemned the Taliban’s suppression of civil protests and called for the cancellation of invitations extended to the group to participate in international meetings and forums, particularly the European Parliament. In a resolution read during the gathering, participants stated that over the past nearly five years, the Taliban have committed widespread human rights violations and gender apartheid by depriving women of access to education, employment, and social participation. They also condemned the suppression of freedom of expression, the arrest and torture of critics, and the enforcement of restrictive laws against women. The demonstrators in Madrid expressed solidarity with the people of Herat and condemned the Taliban’s violent crackdown on peaceful protests, including the killing and injury of civilians. They described these actions as evidence of the group’s fear of the will and determination of the people. The resolution called upon the United Nations, the European Union, the Government of Spain, and international human rights organizations to support the freedom-seeking struggles of Afghan women, recognize gender apartheid as a crime against humanity, increase political and legal pressure on the Taliban, and prevent the political legitimization of the group. Participants also specifically demanded the withdrawal of any invitation extended to the Taliban to attend the European Parliament and urged international institutions to refrain from allowing representatives of the group to participate in global forums. They emphasized that any political engagement with the Taliban, without regard for the human rights situation in Afghanistan, amounts to disregarding the suffering of millions of Afghan women and citizens.