European Parliament Registers Petition on Gender Apartheid and Taliban Terrorist Designation

The European Parliament has officially registered a petition calling for the formal recognition of gender apartheid in Afghanistan and the designation of the Taliban as a terrorist organization. The document has been referred to the parliament’s Petitions Committee for formal review, a procedural step that reflects ongoing international scrutiny of restrictive decrees targeting Afghan women and girls.

An official letter dated April 24 from the Secretary-General of the European Parliament confirms the committee referral. Former Afghan lawmaker Baktash Siawosh stated that the petition advanced to formal review following a series of sit-in protests in Brussels and Strasbourg, alongside the collection of thousands of signatures from supporters across Europe.

The petition urges European Union institutions to refrain from normalizing diplomatic relations with the Taliban and to suspend political engagement with the de facto authorities. It argues that the systematic restrictions on women’s education, employment, and public participation constitute gender apartheid, demanding that international bodies formally acknowledge the severity of the situation.

The registration places the matter on the parliamentary agenda, where committee members will assess the documentation and determine whether further legislative or diplomatic measures are warranted. While the procedural review does not immediately alter European Union policy, it signals continued institutional attention to human rights developments in Afghanistan.