Taliban raids rights organization, arrests several female members

The Afghan Women’s Organization reported today that Taliban members raided the office of the “Women and Children Legal Research Foundation” five days ago and arrested several of its employees, according to the Women’s News Agency (NUJINHA).

The organization said the fate of the members remains unknown, as no official information has been provided about the reasons for their arrest or their place of detention.

It added that the raid targeted the foundation’s office, which is headed by women’s rights activist Zarga Yiftali. During the raid, the Taliban seized the organization’s work equipment, documents, and files, disrupting its activities.

In a statement posted on its account on the platform X, the Afghan Women’s Organization called on the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), the International Committee of the Red Cross, and international human rights organizations to urgently intervene to determine the detainees’ whereabouts and work for their immediate and unconditional release.

The Women and Children Legal Research Foundation is among the organizations working in the fields of education, rights advocacy, conducting studies and research, and preparing reports on the conditions of women and children in Afghanistan.

Families of the detainees expressed concern over the continued lack of information about their relatives, calling on authorities to reveal their whereabouts, clarify the reasons for their detention, and ensure that they receive basic care and have their rights protected.

The incident comes amid continued restrictions on the work of civil and human rights organizations in Afghanistan, particularly those focused on women’s and children’s issues, as international calls continue to protect rights workers and ensure the continuation of humanitarian and civil organizations’ activities. 

A-H 

ANHA