The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, said that the International Criminal Court (ICC) continues to “pursue its independent investigation of international crimes that may have been committed in Afghanistan."  

She said the investigation will be conducted based on ICC’s own framework.  

The 50th session of the UN Human Rights Council was held on June 13 and will last till July 8.  

“We cannot forget the people of Afghanistan. The path to a prosperous and peaceful Afghanistan cannot be paved without consecutive efforts by the de facto authorities, support by the international community and meaningful participation by all parts of society in public and political life, especially women and girls,” Bachelet told the session.  

Speaking at the session via Zoom, Samira Hamidi, Amnesty International's South Asia Campaigner, expressed concerns over the continued use of “repressive measures” in Afghanistan.  

“Taliban de facto authorities continued to use repressive measures with devastating consequences for people… to their right to life, freedom of expression and assembly. This has been particularly harmful to the rights of women and girls,” she said.  

“Women's rights is not only a human rights issue. It is an issue of national, regional and global security to which the world must respond and in an impactful way,” said Shaharzad Akbar, former head of Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission. 

The envoys of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, European Union and the international community called for further humanitarian aid to Afghanistan to avert the hunger crisis in the country.  

“There is still a clear dangerous starvation and a total collapse of the whole system,” the Turkish envoy said.  

This comes as many human rights organizations expressed concerns over the situation of human rights in Afghanistan.  

However, the Islamic Emirate has constantly denied the violation of human rights in the country.