EU Officials Meet Taliban In Brussels For First Time Despite Outcry From Activists
by RFE/RL's Radio Azadi · Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty · JoinOfficials from Afghanistan's Taliban rulers held talks in Brussels for the first time on the repatriation of Afghans despite sharp criticism from rights groups that the European Union was legitimizing the hard-liners amid continued signs they are are cracking down further on women.
The 27-member bloc doesn't recognize the Taliban-led government, but it met a delegation from the Afghan Islamist regime on June 23 after its members were issued one-day visas.
Sources from the Taliban's Foreign Ministry confirmed to RFE/RL's Radio Azadi that ministry spokesman Qahar Balkhi was leading the five-member delegation.
"I am shaken and deeply disturbed by this," Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai said of the visit.
"This is the same Taliban that banned girls from secondary schools and forced them into marriage. The same Taliban that, earlier this month, arrested dozens of women in Herat for how they were dressed. The same Taliban that detains, beats and executes women who dare to speak out or break their rules."
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The meeting came after revelations in the UN Security Council that nearly 3.8 million Afghan girls remained barred from education and an estimated 250,000 more are excluded each year.
But officials in Brussels have defended the move to meet for what they have called "limited talks" with Afghanistan's "de facto authorities," saying countries around Europe need to arrange a system to deport failed asylum seekers who commit crimes or are deemed dangerous.
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The Taliban delegation traveled from Turkey to Brussels after obtaining visas there.
"The Commission services and Sweden co-chaired a technical-level meeting today in Brussels with technical-level representatives of the de facto authorities of Afghanistan responsible for return and readmission," a commission spokesperson said.
In their condemnation of the meeting, rights activists said European countries were "undermining their credibility" by slamming the Taliban for their policies on one hand while cooperating with them on the other to "forcibly" return Afghans.
"Any engagement with the Taliban needs to prioritize protecting human rights and accountability -- not deporting people to danger there," said Fereshta Abbasi, Afghanistan researcher for Human Rights Watch.
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The Taliban seized power in August 2021 as international forces withdrew from Afghanistan two decades after the militants had been ousted from power.
Taliban leaders promised Afghans would have more freedoms and rights than under the strict regime that previously held power. But the Taliban-led government has failed to live up to its pledges, cracking down hard on many groups, especially women and girls.
In the latest sign of how deep the oppression runs, early this month, Taliban authorities reportedly arrested or detained an unspecified number of women in Afghanistan's western Herat Province for allegedly not properly observing the Taliban rules for wearing a veil.
The next day, the Taliban morality police opened fire on women in the city after they launched a protest against their lack of rights and freedoms. At least two people were killed and more than 20 wounded in the demonstration, the UN said. The Taliban has not confirmed any casualties or arrests.
EU Officials Meet Taliban In Brussels For First Time Despite Outcry From Activists
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