A Joint Statement from Afghan Civil Society & Human Rights Groups
A coalition of Afghan human rights defenders, civil society organizations, and protest movements have issued a unified call for legal action against Zalmay Khalilzad and Cheryl Benard, accusing them of complicity in crimes against humanity and systematic whitewashing of Taliban rule.
Part I: Zalmay Khalilzad – Enabling Collapse, Betraying Justice
As the former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad is accused of playing a central role in dismantling Afghanistan’s constitutional order and facilitating the Taliban’s return to power. The letter highlights his:
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Exclusion of Afghan voices during peace talks
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Breach of international diplomatic neutrality
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Ongoing efforts to legitimize Taliban rule in media and public forums
Legal Grounds for Complaint
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Facilitating an unlawful transfer of power to a violent regime without democratic consent
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Violating international norms in peace negotiations
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Complicity in gender apartheid and ethnic persecution
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Obstruction of justice by enabling impunity and undermining accountability efforts
Demands from the International Community
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Launch a formal investigation into Khalilzad’s actions
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Refer the case to the ICC for aiding crimes against humanity
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Ban Khalilzad from involvement in Afghanistan’s future policymaking
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Initiate a financial and media network inquiry supporting Taliban normalization
Part II: Cheryl Benard – The Voice Behind the Whitewash
This open letter also targets Cheryl Benard, wife of Zalmay Khalilzad, for her active role in distorting global perceptions of the Taliban and minimizing the documented suffering of Afghan women.
Documented Misrepresentations
In her writings and interviews, Benard has:
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Denied gender apartheid in Afghanistan
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Described the Taliban regime as “safe and orderly”
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Framed the return of Afghan refugees as desirable
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Diminished the severity of women’s rights violations
These statements contradict:
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Reports by UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett (2022–2024), documenting systemic exclusion of women
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Data from UNAMA, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch on detention, torture, and forced disappearances
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The lived testimonies of thousands of Afghan women, activists, and exiles
Legal Basis for Action
Under the Rome Statute of the ICC (Article 25 & 7), aiding and abetting the whitewashing of crimes against humanity—including gender apartheid—is a punishable offense. The public defense of oppressive regimes is not just misleading—it is dangerous and complicit.
Our Specific Demands
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ICC investigation into Cheryl Benard’s role
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Review her affiliations with institutions that have echoed her claims
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Support lawsuits from Afghan women survivors and activists
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Hold a global hearing on Western complicity in legitimizing abusive regimes
Why This Matters?
This campaign is more than a political statement—it is a legal and moral reckoning. When public figures normalize regimes that erase the identities of women, silence dissent, and commit acts of terror, they become part of the machinery of violence.
To distort truth is to commit violence by other means. Justice for Afghan women and the Afghan people requires not only action against the perpetrators—but also against the enablers.
Signatories
This letter is backed by coalitions of:
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Civil society organizations
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Women’s protest movements
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Human rights defenders from across Afghanistan and the diaspora
Names and logos of signatory organizations will be included in the final publication.