08/10/2025
At the Ilustre Colegio de la Abogacía de Madrid, the usual hum of lawyers and legal scholars gave way to silence on Wednesday, as the voices of Afghan women echoed through the hall. In that historic building, women survivors of torture and repression spoke before a panel of international judges at the People’s Tribunal for Women of Afghanistan, which had been convened by the Permanent People’s Tribunal.
The tribunal aims to document and expose the systematic gender persecution under Taliban rule. It was requested by four Afghan civil society organizations: Rawadari, the Afghanistan Human Rights and Democracy Organization (AHRDO), the Organization for Policy Research and Development Studies (DROPS), and Human Rights Defenders Plus.
“Today, we will bear witness, seek accountability, and challenge tyranny and its normalization,” said Shahrazad Akbar, executive director of Rawadari, speaking on behalf of the four civil society organizations. “We are here to raise awareness and demand solidarity from women and men around the world, for we know that true power lies with the people.”
The tribunal will conclude on October 10, when the panel of judges from the Permanent People’s Tribunal will issue preliminary findings.
On the first day, eight witnesses testified, some in person, others online or through recorded statements due to security concerns. Each person’s testimony, though usually cautious and fragmented, painted a haunting picture of life under Taliban rule: the shuttered schools, fear of arrest, and the quiet persistence of women who refuse to disappear.
