A group of women’s rights activists has called for urgent international intervention to protect Qadriah, a young woman they say is at imminent risk of death after being handed over by Taliban authorities to her family in northern Afghanistan.
In a statement issued by the Purple Saturdays Movement, led by activist Maryam Maroof Arvin, the group urged global human rights organizations to take immediate and effective action to save Qadriah, whom they described as a victim of domestic violence and patriarchal punishment.
“Qadriah is not a criminal, but a victim of unjust violence,” the statement said. “By handing her over to her father, the Taliban have deliberately exposed her to the threat of stoning and a violent death.”
The activists have appealed to organizations including Amnesty International, the United Nations Human Rights Council, and the U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) to provide emergency protection and facilitate her safe relocation to a country that upholds human rights.
Qadriah, originally from Baghlan Province, fled to Kabul seeking refuge with her sister after what she described as ongoing domestic abuse. According to the activists, her father had previously filed a complaint with the Taliban accusing her of “running away from home.” Taliban authorities reportedly arrested and detained her, then released her into her father’s custody—actions activists say have placed her life in grave danger.
“We urge all human rights institutions, media outlets, and governments committed to defending human dignity to raise their voices before it’s too late,” the statement said. “Qadriah deserves protection, support, and a life free from violence.”
The activists said they fear that without immediate international action, Qadriah could become the latest victim in a wave of gender-based violence that has intensified under Taliban rule, particularly in the absence of legal protections for women and girls.
