Afghan feminist wins Martin Ennals Human Rights Award

The Martin Ennals Foundation for Human Rights announced on Tuesday, November 19, that women's rights activist and head of the Afghan women's protest group in Kabul, Julia Parsi, won the Martin Ennals Human Rights Award.

According to a statement by Martin Enals Foundation, 2 prominent human rights defenders who have dedicated their lives to protect human rights in Afghanistan and Tajikistan will receive the Martin Ennals Award, activist Julia Parsi and activist Manouchehr Khaleq Nazarov, during a ceremony to be held tomorrow, November 21 in Geneva, Switzerland, coinciding with the thirtieth anniversary of the founding of this human rights institution.

The Martin Ennals Foundation announced that the jury of ten international human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, selected the 2 winners of this year's Martin Ennals Prize.

The Martin Ennals Award, named after a leading human rights activist and Amnesty International's first Secretary General, is awarded annually to someone who has demonstrated exceptional courage and innovative ways to combat human rights violations.

After the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, and despite the suppression of women's protests and demonstrations demanding freedom, Julia Parsi participated in several protest gatherings and was arrested and transferred to an unknown location in May 2023, and her arrest provoked widespread internal and external reactions, to be released after spending 3 months in prison.

Sh-S

ANHA