The collective punishment of the Afghan people who had no say in arrangements that have pauperized them or the conditions that contributed to the death of many, poses moral as well as political questions that have largely gone unanswered.

Following the Taliban takeover in Kabul in 2021, some US$9.5 billion of Afghanistan’s external reserves were seized by the US government.  Roughly US$7 billion held in the US Federal Reserve Bank in New York, and smaller amounts held in Europe, were effectively frozen. This action triggered a long legal and political dispute over ownership and control of these assets. Under President Biden’s 2022 Executive Order 14064, US authorities split the American-held reserves into two parts: US$3.5 billion was allocated to a Swiss-based not-for-profit Foundation, the “Fund for the Afghan People” also known as the Afghan Fund in Switzerland (AFS) while the remaining US$3.5 billion was set aside for litigation claims brought by American victims of the 9/11 attacks.[1]

The freezing of Afghanistan’s central bank, Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB) reserves revived long-running litigation tied to claims by families of victims of the September 11 attacks and other terror related cases against the Taliban. Plaintiffs, in legal parlance, sought to attach, meaning to seize or take control of the DAB’s reserves held at the Federal Reserve Bank, arguing that the Taliban’s control over Afghanistan entitled a claimant in receipt of a judicial decision to pursue a legal claim against the seized reserves. Civil society organizations filed amicus briefs opposing the seizure, contending that the reserves belonged to the Afghan state and the population rather than to the Taliban as a sanctioned entity.

In a series of rulings beginning in 2022, federal courts in New York rejected attachment claims finding that DAB assets retained sovereign immunity protection under the US Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act and could not be treated as Taliban property.[2]  In 2025, the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit upheld these decisions, confirming that private litigants could not seize the reserves to satisfy 9/11 related judgments. Although the rulings prevented confiscation of the reserves, they did not restore Afghanistan’s legitimate access to them, leaving most of the assets beyond reach or “frozen”.

While the Afghan Fund in Switzerland is accruing interest, there has been no disbursement to-date to recapitalize the DAB although the stated aim of the AFS is to “protect, preserve, and – on a targeted basis – disburse its assets for the benefit of the Afghan people”.

Critics describe the AFS as an unprecedented form of external financial control over a sovereign state’s reserves; the legal basis for administering and allocating central bank assets in this way could be challenged.[3]  The creation of the AFS also signals that externally-held central bank assets may be exposed to political and legal risk during periods of geopolitical dispute.  At the same time, supporters of the AFS mechanism argue that it prevents misuse by a sanctioned regime even though there is no evidence that the DAB has acted unlawfully or in a manner contrary to its statutory purpose.[4]

Efforts by UAI and others to elicit information on the AFS activities and plans have not proved productive. As of mid-June 2026, the Fund’s website had not been updated for over a year with the exception of the recent announcement of the appointment of Jonathan Greenstein of the US Treasury Department to the Board of Trustees. The general lack of AFS action and transparency raise questions about its usefulness and Switzerland’s role as an enabler of US foreign policy agendas that are tantamount to imposing collective punishment on the Afghan people. Meanwhile the AFS continues to accrue interest – presumably in the millions of US$ – while Afghans struggle to survive in desperate conditions.

The outcome of Biden’s 2022 decision is a prolonged state of paralysis in which the DAB lacks access to Afghan reserves. In addition, the creation of the AFS shows the increasingly blurred line between internationally authorized sanctions and unilateral coercive measures. Although many restrictions imposed after 2021 were presented as “sanctions” against the Taliban, the use of the reserves did not arise from a UN Security Council (UNSC) sanctions regime but rather from unilateral actions by the US and other Western governments. This distinction matters because measures lacking explicit UNSC authorization, raise questions about the legality of unilateral measures such as these.

Meanwhile, the chronic poverty and harrowing deprivation suffered by millions of Afghans, have worsened as international aid budgets continue to diminish. Humanitarian organizations have repeatedly warned that funding cuts by major donors have forced reductions in food assistance, healthcare, and nutrition programmes even as millions of Afghans face hunger, drought, displacement, and economic collapse. Child malnutrition is a major concern. Nearly 40% of infants, who were less than six months when admitted for treatment, suffered severe wasting with medical complications according to the UN in June 2026.[5]

Of course, aid reductions and sanctions-related restrictions are connected. Before 2021, external assistance made up a large share of Afghanistan’s GDP and public spending. In recent times, much needed humanitarian and other support has been slashed drastically

Financial restrictions, including the freezing of central bank reserves and limits on banking transactions, have isolated Afghanistan from global markets, restricted liquidity, and weakened private-sector confidence. Sanctions-related banking barriers have also complicated trade, disrupted remittance flows, and hindered humanitarian operations even where formal exemptions exist.

The Afghan case serves as a stark reminder that while sanctions and financial restrictions are formally aimed at governing authorities, their real effects are borne primarily by affected citizens including children born into desperate levels of poverty and deprivation.

The post “Deepening deprivation blights Afghan lives while politics obstruct the release of seized sovereign reserves” appeared first on United Against Inhumanity.

As organizations committed to civil society and open civic space, we, the undersigned, are gravely concerned by the U.S. government’s (USG) decision to impose sanctions under Executive Order (EO) 14203 against three leading Palestinian human rights organizations — Al-Haq: Law in the Service of Man (Al-Haq), Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights (Al-Mezan), and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) — for engaging with the International Criminal Court (ICC) to seek investigations into war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza. These sanctions create a chilling effect on humanitarian and human rights work in Gaza and undermine the abilities of civil society actors to pursue accountability under international law. They further threaten the civil society infrastructure in Gaza, hinder the documentation of human rights abuses, impede fact-finding missions, and deter legal cooperation with the ICC. If this suppression continues, accountability for the gravest international crimes will erode.

We join the Sept. 4 response of Volker Türk, Chief of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), who unequivocally called on the United States to “withdraw immediately these sanctions,” warning that they pose a dire threat to independent civil society organizations (CSOs) engaged in essential accountability work. These calls were echoed by civil society and legal organizations.

This escalation — from sanctioning ICC individuals to now targeting organizations and UN officials — infuses political reprisals into the international justice and accountability framework. It deters organizations worldwide from pursuing accountability due to the fear of retaliation, creating a chilling effect on humanitarian and human rights work, where protection is most needed.

We urge the USG to immediately rescind the sanctions against Al-Haq, Al-Mezan, and PCHR.

Signatories:

1. A New Policy
2. American Civil Liberties Union
3. American Council for Judaism
4. American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
5. Amnesty International USA
6. Ben and Jerry’s Foundation
7. CAIR-WA (Council on American-Islamic Relations, Washington State Chapter)
8. Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)
9. Center for Constitutional Rights
10. Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR)
11. Center for Jewish Nonviolence (CJNV)
12. Charity & Security Network
13. Churches for Middle East Peace
14. CIDSE – International Family of Catholic Social Justice Organisations
15. CIVICUS
16. CODEPINK
17. Confinium Strategies
18. Decolonize Sudan
19. Defence for Children International DCI
20. Defending Rights & Dissent
21. Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN)
22. DIAKONIA
23. Diana’s List
24. Dominican Sisters of Sparkill
25. Dorchester People for Peace (DPP)
26. Ensaaf
27. European Legal Support Center (ELSC)
28. Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
29. Foundation for Middle East Peace
30. Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)
31. Funding Freedom
32. HEART to Grow
33. Historians for Peace and Democracy (HPAD)
34. Human Rights First
35. Human Rights Funders Network (HRFN)
36. Human Rights Watch (HRW)
37. IfNotNow Movement
38. Jewish Voice for Peace
39. Just Foreign Policy
40. Kenya Human Rights Commission
41. KinderUSA
42. Kolibri Foundation
43. MADRE
44. Maine Coalition for Palestine
45. Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns (MOGC)
46. Massachusetts Peace Action (MAPA)
47. MedGlobal
48. MENA Rights Group
49. Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA)
50. Middle East Democracy Center (MEDC)
51. Minnesota Peace Project
52. MPower Change Action Fund
53. Muslim Civic Coalition
54. Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA)
55. Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC)
56. National Lawyers Guild – Bay Area Chapter
57. Nonviolence International
58. Oxfam America
59. Palestine Legal
60. Pax Christi International
61. Peace Action
62. Presbyterian Church (USA), Office of Public Witness
63. Project South
64. Rabbis for Ceasefire (R4C)
65. Regenerative Economies Organizing Collaborative (REO)
66. ReThinking Foreign Policy (RTFP)
67. rochester, minnesota franciscan community
68. RootsAction
69. Sagner Family Foundation
70. Statewatch
71. Terre des hommes Italia (TDH IT)
72. The Carter Center
73. The Episcopal Church
74. The Palestinian Assembly for Liberation (PAL)
75. The Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft (QI)
76. United Against Inhumanity (UAI)
77. United for Peace & Justice (UFPJ)
78. Western States Legal Foundation (WSLF)
79. World BEYOND War
80. Zakat Foundation of America

The post “U.S. Sanctions on Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Erodes International Law” appeared first on United Against Inhumanity.

Dear Members of Congress:

We, the undersigned 124 civil society organizations, write to respectfully request your support
for the restoration of United States funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for
Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) through cosponsorship of the forthcoming
“UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act of 2025.”

UNRWA’s staff, facilities, and infrastructure remain the backbone of the humanitarian response
in the devastated Gaza Strip and serve as a significant stabilizing presence in the occupied
West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Since October 2023, UNRWA has delivered two-thirds of
all food assistance to Gaza, provided shelter to over a million displaced persons, and
vaccinated a quarter of a million children against polio. UNRWA continues this wide-scale
life-saving assistance, despite the implementation of Knesset restrictions in January on
UNRWA’s operations in the occupied Palestinian territory.

In the first phase of the ceasefire alone, UNRWA brought in 60% of the food entering Gaza,
reaching more than 2 million people, or over 90% of the population. In addition, the Agency
opened 37 new shelters to support people returning to the north, providing tents, blankets,
plastic sheeting, and warm clothes to survive the winter months. UNRWA is providing 17,000
medical consultations a day, repairing water wells, and providing waste disposal services for
nearly half a million people in and around UNRWA shelters. Over 260,000 children, who were
out of school for a year and a half due to constant bombardment, are now enrolled in UNRWA’s
online learning platform.

In the West Bank and East Jerusalem, UNRWA offers stability by providing education to over
49,000 refugee children and youth who attend UNRWA schools and vocational training centers.
It also provides primary healthcare services to nearly half a million Palestine refugees at more
than 40 UNRWA healthcare centers. In the last 12 months alone, UNRWA supported over
10,000 refugee families with cash assistance in response to house demolitions and damage,
and settler violence. These UNRWA services are especially critical given the prolonged security
situation in the northern part of the West Bank, which has already displaced 40,000 Palestine
refugees from their homes.

Importantly, UNRWA and the broader UN acted swiftly and decisively to address any allegations
concerning employee neutrality, as evidenced by the resumption of support by other UN
member states – leaving the United States one of the only holdouts. We believe it is now time
for Congress to actively reengage with the Administration with the goal of resuming US funding
to UNRWA, ensuring the Agency can continue its mandate.

We are all grateful for the implementation of phase one of the ceasefire agreement, particularly
the release of hostages and the increased flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza. However, the current truce is fragile and the transition from a ceasefire to the “day after” will be long and arduous.

UNRWA’s continued presence is essential to this process. UNRWA was never intended to be a permanent entity. However, 76 years later, the Agency is still in place—not by choice, but rather as the result of a collective failure by UN Member States to resolve the underlying political issues. The alternative to imploding UNRWA is to support the UN Agency to progressively conclude its mandate within the framework of a political process.

We appreciate your consideration of this request and hope you will use your voice and vote to
support the humanitarian needs and rights of Palestine refugees.

Respectfully,

UNRWA USA National Committee
US & International Organizations
Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)
99 Coalition
Action Corps
Alliance of Baptists
American Baptist Churches USA
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
Carolina Peace Center
Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)
Center for International Policy Advocacy
Charity & Security Network
Christians for a Free Palestine
Church World Service
Citizens for Global Solutions (CGS)
Climate Refugees
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA)
CODEPINK
Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, U.S. Provinces
DAWN
Demand Progress
Disciples Center for Public Witness
Disciples Palestine/Israel Network
Disciples Peace Fellowship
Doctors Against Genocide
Emgage Action
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
Every Campus A Refuge
Families For Freedom
Free Migration Project

Health Workers 4 Palestine
Hindus for Human Rights
Historians for Peace and Democracy
Human Rights First
Human Rights Watch
Immigrant Legal Resource Center
International Refugee Assistance Project
J Street
Jewish Voice for Peace Action
MADRE
Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
Mennonite Central Committee U.S.
Middle East Democracy Center (MEDC)
Migrant Roots Media
MoveOn
MPower Change Action Fund
Muslim Advocates
National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
National Council of Churches
National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA)
Never Again Action
New Jewish Narrative
Nonviolent Peaceforce
Norwegian Refugee Council USA
Oil Change International
Palestine Justice Network of the Presbyterian Church (USA)
Pax Christi USA
Pax Christi Young Adult Caucus
Peace Action
Presbyterian Church, (USA), Office of Public Witness
Project South
Reformed Church in America
Refugees International
ReThinking Foreign Policy
RootsAction.org
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas – Justice Team
Society of the Flora, Fauna & Friend
The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP)
Unitarian Universalist Association
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East
United Against Inhumanity (UAI)
United Church of Christ
US Campaign for Palestinian Rights Action

US-Lutheran Palestine Israel Justice Network
Welcoming America
Witness at the Border
Women’s Refugee Commission
World BEYOND War
Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights
Local Organizations
14 Friends of Palestine, Marin
Al Otro Lado
All Saints Middle East Ministry
Arab American Civic Council
Arizona Muslim Alliance
Berkeley Society of Friends (Quakers)
Brooklyn for Peace
Delaware Clergy for Middle East Peace
Delawareans for Palestinian Human Rights
Dorothy Day Catholic Worker, Washington DC
First Friends of New Jersey & New York
Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project
Friends of Sabeel-LA/OC Chapter
Humanitarian Health Workers
Indiana Center for Middle East Peace
Jewish Activists for Immigration Justice of Western MA
Jewish Voice for Peace/Tacoma-Pierce County
Massachusetts Peace Action
Maui for Palestine
Maui Peace Action
Middle East Justice and Peace Group of South Central PA
Minnesota Peace Project
Morningside Quaker Meeting
Muslim Advocacy for Rights, Unity, and Fairness – CT (MARUF CT)
Muslim Justice League
NH Peace Action
North Carolina Peace Action
Oasis Legal Services
Olive Branch Fair Trade
Pax Christi New York State
Peace Action New York State
Peace Action of Michigan
Peace Action WI
Peace, Justice, Sustainability, NOW!
Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition
Progressive Democrats of America – Central New Mexico

Racine Coalition for Peace and Justice
Shalom United Church of Christ
St. Columba Catholic Church
Sunflowers for Peace
The Palestine Justice Network of the Presbyterian Church USA Bay Area
Transformations CDC
Virginia Coalition for Human Rights
Westminster Presbyterian Church – Middle East Task Force

The post Joint letter urging the USA government to restore its funding for the URNWA appeared first on United Against Inhumanity.