Women’s Movement Claims Taliban Coerced Manizha Seddiqi To Give Forced Confession

The Afghan Women’s Movement for Peace and Freedom, in an announcement on Thursday, stated that the statements made by Manizha Seddiqi, an imprisoned activist, were coerced confessions in the presence of the media.

The statement alleges that the Taliban is attempting to "deceive public opinion”.

In the presence of media outlets, controlled by the Taliban, in Pul-e-Charkhi prison, Seddiqi said that she was not tortured in Taliban prison.

Members of the women’s movement have demanded the unconditional release of this women's rights activist from Taliban prison.

Following widespread protests and concerns about the torture of Seddiqi in Taliban prison, Taliban officials say that her condition in prison is good.

Last year in October, the Taliban detained Manizha Seddiqi, a member of the Spontaneous Movement of Afghan Women, in Kabul.

The Women’s Movement for Peace and Freedom Movement emphasised that "obtaining coerced confession is against Islamic ethics and violates the rights of prisoners”.

Condemning the "cruel behaviour of the Taliban,” this movement called on the United Nations and international human rights organisations to take action for the unconditional release of Seddiqi.