Dozens of Afghan civil society organizations, political groups, protest movements, and human rights defenders have voiced concerns over the conduct of Mohammad Asif Rahimi, Afghanistan’s ambassador to the Netherlands, calling for the revocation of his diplomatic privileges.
In an open letter addressed to the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday, June 9, these groups accused Rahimi of “pledging allegiance to the Taliban” and misusing his diplomatic position to lobby for and whitewash the Taliban’s image in Europe.
The letter, signed by over 66 organizations, urges the Dutch government to clarify its official stance on the legal and political status of the Afghan Embassy in The Hague and its connections to the Taliban.
The signatories also called for an immediate review of the embassy’s financial and legal activities, in line with the Netherlands’ international human rights obligations. They assert that if Rahimi’s political allegiance to the Taliban is confirmed, his diplomatic privileges should be revoked, and the activities of those involved in this process must be halted.
The protesting organizations emphasized that allowing a diplomat affiliated with the Taliban to continue his mission implicitly legitimizes a group systematically violating the rights of women and minorities.
They warned that continued support for such a representative could damage the credibility of countries like the Netherlands, which are committed to human rights. The signatories urged the Dutch government to facilitate direct dialogue with Afghan women’s protest movements, civil society activists, and representatives of human rights abuse victims.
This wave of protest follows recent reports of the removal of symbols of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan from the embassy’s official accounts in the Netherlands. However, following growing backlash, the symbols were reportedly restored.
