A/HRC/16/67 civilians and civilians working for international military forces and international organizations. The intensified pattern of assassinations reinforced the widespread perception by civilians that the Taliban can strike anywhere at anytime with impunity and that the Government and international forces are failing to protect them. 12. In the first 11 months of 2010, OHCHR/UNAMA documented a number of executions carried out by the Taliban in Badghis, Ghazni, Kandahar, Kunduz, Uruzgan and Wardak provinces. These incidents included the public execution of a woman by shooting on 7 August in Badghis province for alleged adultery, the public execution by stoning of a man and woman on 15 August in Kunduz province for alleged adultery,1 and the sentencing of two women to death on 14 October in Ghazni province for allegedly killing their motherin-law. A relative of the mother-in-law reportedly executed one of the women and the execution of the second woman, who is pregnant, is reportedly being delayed until she gives birth. OHCHR/UNAMA also recorded a number of other reported serious human rights violations including the execution (by hanging) of a 7-year-old boy accused of spying for the Government on 10 June in Helmand province and the assassination of a 12-year-old boy on 29 June in Ghazni province. These incidents indicate that AGEs commit serious human rights violations with full impunity and underscore the severe protection and accountability gaps that exist in Afghanistan. Election-related violence 13. During the parliamentary election campaigning period from June to September 2010, AGEs conducted a systematic and targeted assassination campaign against candidates and campaign workers. Between June and August, four candidates and 24 campaign workers were killed. On 18 September, election day, OHCHR/UNAMA documented 136 civilian casualties including 33 deaths and 103 injuries, making it the most violent day in Afghanistan since the 2009 Presidential and Provincial Council elections, when 31 civilian deaths and 79 injuries (110 civilian casualties) were recorded. The eastern region recorded the highest number of casualties in the 2010 election, with 38 civilians killed and injured, followed by 26 recorded in the south-eastern region. The southern region saw a high number of security incidents, but few civilian casualties. On election day, most provinces experienced rocket attacks, IEDs and armed clashes, depriving many of their freedom of movement and their right to vote. Security incidents led to the closure of at least 153 polling centres. Intimidation tactics by AGEs contributed to reduce the participation of voters, especially women voters, in different parts of the country. B. Pro-Government forces 14. PGF military operations resulted in deaths and injuries of civilians as a result of air strikes, mortar attacks, escalation of force and cross-fire incidents. Between 1 January and 30 November 2010, PGFs were linked to 401 deaths or 15 per cent of total civilian deaths, down 27 per cent from 2009. 15. OHCHR/UNAMA found a 52 per cent decrease in civilian deaths caused by aerial attacks carried out by PGFs compared to the same period in 2009. Tactical directives and standard operating procedures implemented by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in 2010, including an August 2010 tactical directive on “disciplined use of force”, appear to have contributed to a significant reduction in civilian casualties by PGFs. The use 1 6 The UNAMA Human Rights Unit has also received reports that the female victim’s killing was an “honour killing” following complaints by some members of her family to the Taliban about her relationship with the male victim.