The Hazara community in Afghanistan has faced relentless and systematic persecution based on their ethnicity and religious beliefs since 1890. In addition to enduring historic oppression, a new wave of targeted attacks has reignited against Hazaras in Kabul and other provinces. These attacks form part of a broader genocidal campaign, targeting the Hazara population in various public spaces, including public transportation, shopping malls, sports clubs, mosques, hospitals,
schools, and educational centers. This violence has persisted under both the former Republic and after the Taliban’s forceful return to power.
In the light of the Hazaras’ dire situation, a petition was submitted to the Human Rights Committee of Finland’s Parliament on February 14, 2024 by the members of the Suomen Hazaroiden Kulttuuriyhdistys ry. The petition aims to raise public awareness and call on the United Nations, the UN Human Rights Council, the International Criminal Court (ICC), the European Union, and Finland’s Parliament to take urgent action to protect the Hazara community and hold the Taliban accountable for its actions.
The petition also highlighted the plight of women and girls under the Taliban, who face severe oppression and systemic rights violations under the guise of enforcing an “improper hijab.” These policies, amounting to gender apartheid, deny women access to education, employment, and basic freedoms, further intensifying the humanitarian crisis and underscoring the need for urgent international action.
