The United Nations (UN) publicly asked the Taliban on Thursday, February 3, to provide information concerning the supposed arrest of two feminist activists in Afghanistan. These arrests come two weeks after the disappearance of two other activists critical of Islamist fundamentalists.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (Manua) asked on Twitter “urgent information” at the Afghan Ministry of Interior, “on the latest arrests by the Taliban of two new feminist activists reported in the past twenty-four hours”. The United Nations “repeat their call to release all ‘disappeared’ feminist activists and their families”, added the institution.
Urgent information sought from @moiafghanistan today by UNAMA on latest reported detentions over last 24hrs by the… https://t.co/PGT4o37HP3
“These unjust arrests must stop. If the Taliban seek the recognition of the Afghan people and that of the world, they must respect the human rights of Afghans – especially those of women – including freedom of expression”, tweeted on Friday US Envoy for Afghan Women’s Rights Rina Amiri.
La Manua did not reveal the names of the two activists, but according to another opponent contacted by Agence France-Presse (AFP), they are Zahra Mohammadi and Mursal Ayar.
Teenage girls ousted from many public colleges and high schools
Zahra is “dentist and worked in a clinic. She was arrested, along with her father., explained this activist, requesting anonymity. Mursal was arrested on Wednesday after one of her colleagues asked her for his address to come and pay her salary, she added. “That’s how she was framed. The Taliban found her and arrested her”, further detailed this activist.
Two weeks ago, two other activists, Tamana Zaryabi Paryani and Parwana Ibrahimkhel, disappeared days after participating in a protest in Kabul for women’s rights. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, expressed concern on Tuesday about their fate and that of four members of their family who disappeared with them. The Taliban deny any involvement in their disappearance and say they have opened an investigation.
The Islamist fundamentalists claim to have modernized since their last reign over Afghanistan, from 1996 to 2001. But after their return to power in August, the Taliban were quick to oust teenage girls from many public colleges and high schools, to impose on women the accompaniment of a man of their close family during long journeys, and to exclude them from most public jobs.
Faced with the deep humanitarian crisis affecting Afghanistan, Westerners have made respect for human rights a prerequisite for a possible return of international aid, which represented 75% of the Afghan budget before the advent of the Taliban.