By Rukhshana Media
The United Nations has raised concern over the continued disappearance of at least six people in connection with the recent women’s rights protests in Kabul, calling on the Taliban to “take all possible measures to ensure their safe and immediate release, and to hold those responsible to account.”
In a statement on Tuesday, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ravina Shamdasani, said, “we are very alarmed at the continued disappearance of six people who were abducted in Kabul two weeks ago in connection with the recent women’s rights protests. We are gravely concerned for their well-being and safety.”
Tamana Zaryab Paryani, who had participated in the anti-Taliban protest on January 16, and her three sisters, were arrested from their homes on January 19, according to family members and eyewitnesses.
Parwana Ibrahimkhel, who also participated in the recent protests in Kabul, was also arrested with her brother-in-law on January 19, according to friends and women’s rights activists.
“Despite the de facto authorities’ announcement on Saturday of an investigation into the disappearance of these individuals, there is still no confirmed information on their whereabouts,” Shamdasani said, adding that “lack of clear information on the location and well-being of these and other individuals perpetuates a climate of fear and uncertainty.”
Shamdasani said that reports show “a pattern of arbitrary arrests and detentions, as well as torture and ill-treatment, of civil society activists, journalists and media workers, and former Government and security forces personnel in Afghanistan.”
The UN called on the Taliban “to publicly report on the findings of their investigation into the abduction and disappearance of these women activists and their relatives, to take all possible measures to ensure their safe and immediate release, and to hold those responsible to account.”
The UN asked the Taliban leadership “to send clear messages to their rank-and-file that there must be no reprisals against people who demonstrate peacefully and exercise their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.”
The UN request comes as the Taliban reportedly arrested two journalists in Kabul on Monday, colleagues and advocacy groups said.
The Ariana News Television network has not officially confirmed the arrests, but Sharif Hassanyar, the Kabul director of the television network, confirmed his colleagues’ arrest on his Twitter account. “Taliban have arrested two of our colleagues in Ariana News today in a horrific manner. The motive for the arrest is still unknown,” Hassanyar tweeted.
Since the arrest of women activists on January 19, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International called on the Taliban to ensure the release of women activists.
However, the Taliban spokesmen in Kabul and Doha have denied arresting the activists and their relatives.
Despite the repeated denials, Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban acting minister of foreign affairs, heading the Taliban’s delegation in Oslo on January 23, reportedly hinted that the Taliban fighters might have arrested the women.
