Unshackled Voices: Global Call to Action as UN Condemns Taliban’s Detention of Female Change-Makers

The Taliban pushed women out of almost all areas of public and political life and banned girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade. It is part of the tough restrictions he imposed after taking power in 2021, when US and NATO forces were withdrawing from Afghanistan after two decades of war.

UN experts, including Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett, said the immediate release of Ned Parwan and Zholia Parsi and their families is essential. They were not given legal representation, charged or brought to court.

“We are increasingly concerned about their physical and mental well-being,” the experts said in a statement. They called on Taliban officials to respect human rights and freedoms and said there was no justification for the detention.

Experts say that people cannot lose their freedom simply for expressing a different opinion, and that women human rights defenders are at particular risk and are more likely to be targeted because of their gender.

“The Taliban appear to be continuing to reinforce constraints on civil space, particularly by suppressing the voices of women and girls, with a negative impact,” the statement said.

Experts welcomed the recent release of French-Afghan journalist Mortaz Behboudi and Matiullah Wesa, founder of PenPath1, a non-governmental organization fighting for girls’ right to education.

Mr Wesa, who was arrested seven months ago, has been outspoken in his demand for girls to have the right to attend school and education, and has repeatedly called on the Taliban government to lift the ban.

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