The EU and Finland should withdraw their invitation for talks with the Taliban, HBL writes. According to the paper, women are being beaten in Afghanistan, and men are also subjected to violence when their women do not fully comply with sharia law.

The criticism is rooted in concern that contact with the Taliban leadership could be seen as tacit approval of its violent rule. HBL says the issue is not limited to isolated abuses, but reflects a broader human rights situation that affects women in particular.

The paper argues that pulling back the invitation would make the message to the Taliban clearer. The case also raises a wider question about the conditions under which the international community should engage with Afghanistan’s current rulers.