For Media – The Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal requests European Union to withdraw the invitation of the Taliban
June 11, 2026
The Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal (PPT) expresses its profound condemnation of the European Union’s (EU) decision to invite representatives of the Taliban to Brussels for discussions on the forced return of Afghan migrants. In its 55th session on Women of Afghanistan, convened at the request of Rawadari, HRD+, AHRDO, and DROPS, the independent panel of judges [1] found the Taliban, as a group, responsible for crimes against humanity of gender persecution, as set out in the judgement made public in December 2025.
The European Union’s decision represents a dangerous step forward to the normalization of a regime responsible for gender apartheid, systematic and institutionalized human rights violations, and the dismantling of every fundamental freedom for Afghan women.
While the EU does not recognize as the legitimate de facto government of the Taliban, this decision contradicts the EU’s own stated human rights principles and contributes to the protection of authoritarian regimes when they align with EU interests.
The EU has imposed sanctions on multiple Taliban leaders for their involvement in terrorism, human rights abuses, violation of women’s and girls’ human rights, and threats to international peace and security. These sanctions remain in force precisely because the Taliban continues to perpetrate grave violations, including the persecution of women and girls.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for senior Taliban figures in connection with alleged crimes against humanity of persecution on gender grounds against women and girls.
The European Court of Justice has ruled that the Taliban’s treatment of women constitutes persecution, underscoring the impossibility of guaranteeing the safety of any woman forcibly returned to Afghanistan.
Extending invitations for political dialogue and “technical” cooperation to individuals associated with such charges risks eroding the credibility of international justice mechanisms and sends a devastating message to Afghan victims seeking accountability.
By engaging the Taliban in discussions on deportations, particularly of individuals who may face persecution, imprisonment, or death upon return, the EU risks becoming complicit in violations of international refugee law and the principle of non-refoulement.
We call on the European Union to:
- Immediately withdraw the invitation extended to Taliban representatives and reaffirm its non-recognition of the Taliban’s regime.
- Halt all deportations to Afghanistan, given the well-documented risks to returnees, especially women, girls, and minorities.
- Strengthen support for Afghan refugees and asylum seekers, ensuring that no individual is returned to a situation of persecution.
- Uphold international law and human rights standards, including its own sanctions regime and the authority of the ICC.
- Engage directly with Afghan civil society, women’s organizations, and democratic actors, rather than with perpetrators of gender-based oppression.
The Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal stands with the Afghan people, especially Afghan women and girls, who continue to resist the Taliban’s brutality at extraordinary personal risk. We urge the European Union to stand with them as well, not with their oppressors.
PPT General Secretariat:
VIA DELLA DOGANA VECCHIA 5 – 00186 ROME – TEL:0039 066879953
E-mail:ppt@permanentpeoplestribunal.org ; permanentpeoplestribunal@gmail.com
www.permanentpeoplestribunal.org
————————-
[1] Rashida Manjoo (South Africa), chair of the panel, Araceli García del Soto (Spain), Elisenda Calvet-Martínez (Spain), Emilio Ramírez Matos (Spain), Ghizal Haress (Afghanistan), Mai El-Sadany (Egypt/United States), Marina Forti (Italy) and Kalpana Sharma (India).