Afghanistan: four feminist activists freed
Afghan women demonstrate in defense of their rights on September 2, 2021, in Herat, Afghanistan (illustration image).
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Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
The four feminist activists who had been arrested in Kabul in recent weeks were released by the Taliban on Sunday February 13, the UN mission in Afghanistan (Unama) announced on Twitter.
Their disappearance, after having demonstrated for women's rights on several occasions, had caused great concern among their relatives and human rights organizations.
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With our regional correspondent,
Sonia Ghezali
Since their release on Sunday February 13, no activist has spoken publicly, nor their family.
It is unclear which security force service held them, or under what conditions.
No certainty either about their state of physical and mental health to date.
Tamana Zaryabi Paryani and Parwana Ibrahimkhel were arrested on January 19
.
One of them had made her arrest public by posting on social networks her desperate plea for help, explaining that the Taliban were trying to enter her home despite her pleas.
Mursal Ayar and Zahra Mohammadi were arrested in early February
.
Terrorized
All of these women are feminist activists who have been active since the Taliban took power on August 15, 2021. They regularly took part in demonstrations to protest against the wearing of the burqa and against the restrictions placed on women by the Taliban regime.
We met Zahra Mohammadi last November at a feminist rally.
“
The Taliban compare us to chocolate which must always be wrapped otherwise the flies land on them
”, she explained to the microphone of RFI.
“
We want to be free to live as we see fit
,” she proclaimed forcefully.
Today, she no longer answers her phone.
"
Afghan women activists are terrified and no longer dare to speak out
," said a civil society activist on condition of anonymity.
►
To read also: Faced with the Taliban regime, the daily life of Afghan women oscillates between anger, fear and shame
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Afghanistan
Women
Womens rights
Taliban
Human rights