The Human Rights Defenders Committee, a group of activists from Afghanistan, in a statement expressed support for the hunger strike and demands of human rights activist Mohra Barakzai in Berlin.
Barakzai, currently on her eighth day of a hunger strike in Berlin, Germany, has called for the recognition of “gender apartheid” in Afghanistan, an end to the persecution of the Hazara ethnic group, and the protection of LGBTQ+ rights in the country.
Barakzai was hospitalized earlier due to deteriorating health but has since returned to continue her protest on Tuesday, Oct. 1. She has vowed to persist with the hunger strike until her demands are addressed.
“In line with fundamental human rights principles and with respect for the rights of all members of society, the committee fully supports the protests and legitimate demands of Ms. Barakzai and other Afghan women who are standing firm in the fight for their human rights,” the committee said in a statement.
Citing Article 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the committee stressed that the legitimate and human demands of Afghan women must be respected, protected, and supported.
The committee also called on the international community, particularly the United Nations, human rights organizations, and the German government, to back Barakzai’s protest and actively work towards ensuring the fulfillment of these rights in Afghanistan.
