MONITORING (SW) – The top UN officials have urged the Taliban’s Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan to resolve the issue of detained women rights activists.
“Global outrage over fate of missing Afghan women activists conveyed today to Taliban defacto @MoFA_Afg Muttaqi. He assured @DeborahLyonsUN of efforts to resolve issue. His constructive approach welcomed. UN continues to engage Taliban to support welfare & rights of all Afghans”, tweeted Deborah Lyons, head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan after meeting.
Meanwhile, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed concerns over the situation in Afghanistan. He has strongly urged the Taliban to ensure the women’s safety so that they can return home.
“I am increasingly concerned about the well-being of missing women activists in Afghanistan. Several have ‘disappeared’, some not heard from in weeks”, tweeted the UN chief.
Last week, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan urged the Taliban’s Islamic Emirate to provide immediate information on the alleged detention of two women protesters.
“The Office of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has requested the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to provide immediate information on the alleged detention of two women protesters by Islamic Emirate forces in Kabul”, tweeted UNAMA.
Meanwhile, the forces of the Islamic Emirate reportedly arrested Zahra Mohammadi on Friday and Mursal Ayar in Kabul on Thursday.
Hada Khamoush, a women rights activist who represented Afghan women at the Oslo conference, announced on her Facebook page the arrest of Zahra Mohammadi and wrote: “Mursal was abducted last night, Zahra Mohammadi was abducted today. And tomorrow they may kidnap the rest.”
According to Ms. Khamoush, the Islamic Emirate forces are holding the protesting girls and hundreds of other women in a place called the “Hamork” section. She has said that the Islamic Emirate is trying to show “a good face” in foreign meetings in order to get the frozen state money.
According to reports, the forces of the Islamic Emirate yesterday arrested Mursal Ayar, a member of the protesting women team who is also said to be a journalist.
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