The European Union, Germany, Britain, the Nether-lands, and UNAMA have communicated serious concern over the fate of Afghan women activists who disappeared after participating in protests to demand fundamental rights for women.
The United Nations Secretary General’s envoy for Afghanistan, Deborah Lyons, met with the Islamic Emirate’s Deputy PM, Abdul Kabir, to convey her concerns about the safety of the women.
UNAMA said on Twitter: “Convey(ed) deepening concern about … ‘disappeared’ women activists, Kabir committed to seek answers. We appreciate this & await update. World support to Afghanistan is eroded without respect for all Afghan’s rights.”
The EU’s special representative for Afghanistan, Tomas Niklasson, said the detention and disappear-ance of citizens contradicts Islamic Emirate’s com-mitments to protect human rights.
“Taliban announced ’interim government’ claims to be owned by the people. Arbitrary detention of citi-zens and disappearances undermine such claims and contradict their declared commitments to upholding human rights. I join the call for an immediate re-lease,” Niklasson said.
Meanwhile, Potzel Markus, German ambassador-designate to Afghanistan and Hugo Shorter, Chargé d’Affaires of the UK Mission to Afghanistan, have addressed the disappearance of women, saying the issue is worrying.
“Our investigations are still continuing to find these women and girls. No exact information is available for now. When the investigations end, we will share the details,” said Bilal Karimi, deputy spokesman of the government.
At the same time, a number of Afghan women claim that the Islamic Emirate asks women not to attend protests after releasing them.
“When the girls are released, the Taliban asks them not to attend protests, which is very worrying. Pro-testing is our right, no one should forbid it,” said Nafisa Bahar, a women’s rights activist.
Tamana Zaryab Paryani, Parwana Ibrahimkhil, Mursal Ayar, and Zahra Mohammadi have been allegedly detained during the past month for taking part in protests for women’s rights. —Agencies
