Taliban Imprison & Torture Women Under Various Pretexts, Say Afghan Activists

Tamana Paryani, alongside several other activists, ended their fifth sit-in on Monday in Bochum city of Germany, protesting against the gender apartheid imposed by the Taliban in Afghanistan.

In a resolution, they protested against the detention of women by the Taliban for their clothing and said that the Taliban imprison and torture women under various pretexts.

The activists emphasised that the intense pressures and restrictions imposed by the Taliban have had severe consequences on the well-being of women and girls in Afghanistan, leading some to resort to suicide.

Paryani and the activists participating in the sit-in tent condemned the Taliban's treatment of women as a “crime against humanity”. They said that the group has deprived women of all political, civil, and social rights and freedoms by issuing numerous decrees.

In their resolution, they raised concerns about Afghanistan becoming a hub for international terrorism. They urged countries worldwide to cease their relations and financial aid to Afghanistan.

Last year, Paryani and several other activists initiated a sit-in and hunger strike for the first time, advocating for the recognition of gender apartheid in Afghanistan by Germany and other countries worldwide.

Following the conclusion of their first hunger strike, they declared their intention to establish protest tents in various cities worldwide to raise awareness and international support for the acknowledgment of gender apartheid.

The activists in Bochum voiced their opposition to the UN Secretary-General convening a meeting of special representatives for Afghanistan. They aim to convey their dissatisfaction about the engagement with the Taliban by physically being present at the meeting venue.

The United Nations has not yet specified the date and location of the meeting. However, they have stated that the UN Secretary-General will soon convene with the special representatives to discuss matters concerning Afghanistan and strategies for engaging with the Taliban.