Taliban Intensifying 1990s Extremist Policies, Says US Envoy

The US Special Envoy for Afghan Women, Rina Amiri, has stated that Taliban has intensified its extremist policies from the 1990s by banning the UN Special Rapporteur's travel and enacting the "Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice" law.

Amiri urged the international community to refrain from normalising relations with the Taliban until they improve their human rights practices.

In a post on the social media platform X on Friday, Amiri wrote that the Taliban's decision to ban Richard Bennett's travel and the enactment of the "Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice" law clearly demonstrates that the group is doubling down on the extremist policies they had imposed in the 1990s.

The US Special Envoy advised the global community to maintain distance from the Taliban until there is significant improvement in their human rights record. She added that this is crucial for the international community in terms of norms, economics, and security.

On Tuesday, August 21, the Taliban banned the UN Special Rapporteur from entering Afghanistan. A day later, on August 22, they announced that the group's leader had enacted the "Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice" law.

Human rights organisations and women's rights activists have strongly condemned the recent actions of the Taliban.