At the Special session in the Human Rights Council, convened urgently on 24 August to address the serious human rights concerns and the situation in Afghanistan, the Permanent representative of Bulgaria, H. E. Ambassador Yuri Sterk, stated that Bulgaria in deeply concerned by the reports about violations of human rights and the international humanitarian law during the recent offensive campaign of the Taliban in Afghanistan and their seizure of Kabul on August 15, 2021 and its aftermath. Considering the significance and urgency of the developments, Bulgaria joined those Members of the Human Rights Council that supported the initiative to hold a special session of the Council on the serious human rights concerns and the situation in Afghanistan.

In line with the statement made by the European Union, the Bulgarian diplomat condemned the high level of violence across Afghanistan in recent weeks that has led to a large number of civilian casualties and shared the plea to all parties involved in the hostilities to end immediately the violence, deescalate the situation and restore security and constitutional order in the country.

Ambassador Sterk also voiced the call for the respect and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Afghan citizens, particularly women and girls, persons belonging to ethnic and religious minorities, humanitarian workers, human rights activists, journalists and former or current local staff of the diplomatic missions and international organizations.

The Permanent representative of Bulgaria further called for urgent actions to ensure effective protection of the rights of more than 3 million internally displaced persons and reduce their suffering as well as to meet the immediate humanitarian needs of the Afghan refugees in the neighbouring countries. Bulgaria shares the expectation that any future authority in Kabul will work for the preservation and protection of the important political, economic and social achievements of the Afghan people for the last twenty years and the impressive Afghan historical and cultural heritage as well. Bulgaria was also among other countries that call for the granting of safe, unhindered and unrestricted access to the territory of Afghanistan for the humanitarian organizations and express support to the efforts and activities of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan.