(Kabul) Four Afghan feminist activists arrested in Kabul in recent weeks after demonstrating there for women’s rights, and “disappeared” since, have been released by the Taliban, the UN mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) announced on Sunday. ).
Posted yesterday at 10:29
“After a long period of uncertainty as to their fate and safety, the four ‘disappeared’ Afghan women activists, together with their relatives who are also missing, have all been released by the Taliban authorities, the UN mission said in a statement. tweet.
Two first activists, Tamana Zaryabi Paryani and Parwana Ibrahimkhel, were arrested on January 19, a few days after their participation in a demonstration of women in Kabul who were protesting in particular against the wearing of the burqa, this full veil meshed at eye level, symbol of the oppression of women in Afghanistan.
The other two activists, Mursal Ayar and Zahra Mohammadi, were arrested in early February.
Each time, relatives of the activists were also arrested.
The release of M.me Ibrahimkhel had already been announced on Friday by her relatives, stating that she had “been detained by the Islamic Emirate [le nom donné par les talibans à leur régime, NDLR] “.
In a video posted on social networks just before we seized her, Mme Paryani filmed himself calling for help in the middle of the night: “Please help me! The Taliban came to us. […] My sisters are there,” she panicked.
She was then seen imploring through the door not to enter her home. “If you want to talk, we’ll talk tomorrow. I can’t see you in the middle of the night with the girls [à la maison]. I do not want [ouvrir]… Please ! Help me, help me! “.
The Taliban have always denied any involvement in the disappearance of the activists and have assured that they have opened an investigation.
Government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the authorities had “the right to arrest and imprison opponents or those who violate the law”.
The Islamist fundamentalists claim to have modernized since their previous reign, from 1996 to 2001, during which they had largely trampled on human rights.
But since their return to power in August, they have suppressed all opposition. In particular, they dispersed demonstrations by women’s rights activists, arrested certain voices critical of their regime and beat up or arrested several journalists.
Islamist fundamentalists have also ousted teenage girls from many public colleges and high schools, forced women to accompany a male relative on long journeys, and barred them from most public jobs.
On Friday, the Taliban also released two foreign journalists, arrested in Kabul while on mission for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as well as their Afghan colleagues.
One of them is the British Andrew North, freelance journalist and former BBC correspondent in Kabul.
“Several” Britons are also currently detained in Afghanistan, the British Foreign Office announced on Saturday, adding that it had “discussed” their situation with the Taliban authorities, without specifying their number or who is holding them.
Among the British citizens detained is Peter Jouvenal, a former journalist turned businessman, with dual German and British nationality, detained since early December, according to a statement released by his friends.
Married to an Afghan, Mr. Jouvenal could have been “detained by mistake” while he was in Afghanistan as part of contacts for investments in the country’s mining industry, they add.
“He is being held without charges and without any possibility of being able to contact either his family or his lawyers”, it is affirmed.
The country is currently facing a serious humanitarian crisis and the international community – which has not so far recognized the new regime – has set respect for human rights as a precondition for a possible return of international aid, which represented about 75% of the Afghan budget before the return to power of the Taliban.