The special rapporteur of the United Nations Human Rights Council on Afghanistan says that the ban on his entry into Afghanistan by the Taliban group is a backward step by the Taliban.

Richard Bennett, the special rapporteur of the United Nations Human Rights Council on Afghanistan today, Wednesday, 22 August, in response to being banned from entering Afghanistan by the Taliban group, says that this action of the Taliban group is a step backwards, which sends a sad message about Their interaction with the United Nations and the world is about human rights.

Mr. Bennett has written in his X that he has seriously tried to have a transparent interaction with the Taliban officials.

He has emphasized that he will continue documenting human rights violations in Afghanistan and has asked the Taliban group to desist from this decision and let him travel to Afghanistan.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights has said that despite the fact that he has not visited Afghanistan for more than a year and despite the decision of the Taliban, he will continue to interact with Afghan citizens inside and outside this country and other groups.

Mr. Bennett said: “I remain committed to the people of Afghanistan and supporting a stable, inclusive and prosperous country in peace with itself and its neighbors.”

Meanwhile, Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman of the Taliban group, has recently said in a conversation with Deutsche Welle that this group has banned Richard Bennett’s trip to Afghanistan.

He has accused the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights of “propaganda” against the Taliban.

Since the beginning of his mission in April 2022, Richard Bennett has submitted three reports on the human rights situation in Afghanistan to the United Nations Human Rights Council.

In these reports, he has documented widespread cases of human rights violations by the Taliban, especially violations of the rights of women and ethnic and religious minorities.

Mr. Bennett said in his latest report that the Taliban’s treatment of women is a “crime against humanity” and can be considered as “gender apartheid.”