The continued detention of Neda Parwani, a women’s rights activist, and her family, by the Taliban has sparked sharp criticism by human rights defenders.
Neda Parwani, along with her husband and children, were reportedly taken into Taliban custody on Monday morning.
Women’s rights activists have voiced their concern and frustration and said the Taliban has not provided reasons for Parwani’s arrest.
Neda Parwani is a women rights activist and a member of the Junbish-e Zanan.
Activists said Thursday there has been no update given on Parwani and her whereabouts are unknown.
One women’s rights defender, Taranom Sayedi, said women are no longer even safe in their own homes, because of the Taliban.
“Unfortunately, in the current situation, women are not even safe in their homes. They are not even safe sitting beside their husbands and families. There is no shelter in Afghanistan, neither domestic nor international, that the people can turn to,” she said.
Other women’s rights activists said the Taliban has also stopped them from holding protest rallies to draw attention to their plight.
Sajida, a resident of Kabul, said that the Taliban are pressurizing women under various pretexts.
“Don’t make our life difficult under different pretexts. Please allow men and women to live together and reach their dreams,” she said.
The women’s rights activists called on the UN to put pressure on the Taliban to force them to respect human rights and women’s rights.
Tahira Naseri, a human rights activist, called on the UN to recognize gender apartheid under the Taliban government in Afghanistan.
“The UN as the main supporter of human rights in the world should recognize gender apartheid in Afghanistan. It also doesn’t recognize the Taliban’s fascist and monoethnic and one gender (patriarchy) and rescue the people of Afghanistan from suffering,” she said.
The detention of Parwani coincides with the UN General Assembly, where world leaders have gathered this week. A number of attendees have criticized the Taliban this week for their ongoing restrictions against women.
The Taliban have yet to officially comment on the detention of Parwani.
