Purple Saturdays Movement: Delisting the Taliban as a Terrorist Group Prioritizes Interests Over Human Suffering

In a statement published on Saturday, April 19, the movement stated that this decision is not merely a diplomatic shift but an attempt to rewrite the concepts of justice and crime. It warned that removing the Taliban from Russia’s terrorist list effectively grants a platform to a group built on systemic violence, gender apartheid, and widespread human rights violations.

The Purple Saturdays Movement emphasized that the Taliban have neither changed their behavior nor retreated from their oppressive policies. On the contrary, they have turned Afghanistan into a safe haven for terrorist groups and a source of regional and global threats.

The statement also declared that this Russian decision reflects a preference for geopolitical interests over human suffering, and that global silence in response could gradually erase the voices of victims, especially Afghan women.

The movement called on international organizations and human rights advocates to condemn Russia’s action and stand against efforts to normalize the Taliban’s image.

It is worth noting that two days ago, Russia’s Supreme Court decided to temporarily remove the Taliban from its list of terrorist groups. The United Nations described this move as an independent decision made by the Russian government.