The United Nations’ special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, called on the Taliban to immediately release two women detained in northern and western Afghanistan and ensure their safety.
Bennett said he was concerned about the continued detention of Nazira Rashidi in Kunduz province and Khadija Ahmadzada in Herat province, describing the arrests as part of a wider pattern of human rights violations.
He said the detention of women, particularly activists, journalists and civilians, constituted a clear violation of fundamental human rights.
Rashidi, a journalist working for a local television station in Kunduz, has been held for more than a week, according to local media groups. The Taliban police command said Rashidi had been detained over a “crime-related case” with four other women.
Media watchdog NAI Supporting Open Media in Afghanistan, operating in exile, has said the Taliban have detained an average of about six journalists per month since returning to power in August 2021. While some have later been released, the fate of others remains unknown.
Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions on media freedom and women’s rights since taking control of Afghanistan, drawing repeated criticism from the United Nations and international rights groups.
