According to an Amnesty report, the Taliban committed the most serious human rights violations in Afghanistan after taking power a year ago, contrary to what they announced.
The radical Islamic government is persecuting minorities, violently suppressing peaceful protests and oppressing women, according to the human rights organization's report published on Monday.
There are also extrajudicial executions and enforced disappearances.
Crimes such as torture, revenge killings and expulsions of minorities often go unpunished, says the report Taliban Rule: A Year of Violence, Impunity and False Promises.
"A year ago, the Taliban made a public commitment to protect and promote human rights," said Theresa Bergmann, Asia researcher at Amnesty International in Germany.
"One year later, however, the human rights record is catastrophic." Arbitrary arrests, torture, enforced disappearances or summary executions are the order of the day.
Discrimination against women and girls
Important achievements of the past 20 years, especially with regard to the rights of girls and women, would also be nullified, explained Bergmann.
They are denied education and participation in public life.
"They systematically experience discrimination in almost every area of life."
According to the report, research by Amnesty shows that the Taliban security forces use excessive force to enforce the ban on peaceful protests.
Human rights defenders and activists are being harassed, threatened, detained and killed, the report said.
Last year more than 80 journalists were arrested and tortured because they reported on peaceful protests.
Torture and executions of resistance fighters
There are numerous reports of Taliban soldiers beating and torturing Afghans who are said to have violated Taliban decrees or who are accused of collaborating with the previous government, the human rights organization said.
Cases of revenge killings and executions of suspected resistance fighters have also become known, the report says.
Hundreds of bodies were found with gunshot wounds or signs of torture, which indicate extrajudicial executions.
Dozens of people have disappeared because they worked under the previous government or because they are suspected of having been involved in resistance against the Taliban.
There have also been illegal evictions of non-Pashtun minorities from their homes and farms.
Amnesty called on the Taliban to respect human rights and international law.
In addition, the international community must take effective measures to hold the Taliban accountable for the crimes committed.