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International bodies express concern over disappearance of Afghan women activists

Just Earth News | @justearthnews | 09 Feb 2022

International bodies express concern over disappearance of Afghan women activists

File image by USAID on Flickr via Wikimedia Creative Commons

Kabul: The European Union, Germany, Britain, the Netherlands, and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) have voiced concerns over the fate of Afghan women activists who disappeared after participating in protests to demand fundamental rights for women, media reports said.

The United Nations Secretary General’s envoy for Afghanistan, Deborah Lyons, met with the Islamic Emirate’s Deputy PM, Abdul Kabir, to convey her concerns about the safety of the women, reports Tolo News.

UNAMA said on Twitter as quoted by Tolo News: “Convey(ed) deepening concern about ... 'disappeared' women activists, Kabir committed to seek answers. We appreciate this & await update. World support to Afghanistan is eroded without respect for all Afghan’s rights.”

The EU’s special representative for Afghanistan, Tomas Niklasson, said the detention and disappearance of citizens contradicts Islamic Emirate’s commitments to protect human rights.

“Taliban announced ’interim government’ claims to be owned by the people. Arbitrary detention of citizens and disappearances undermine such claims and contradict their declared commitments to upholding human rights. I join the call for an immediate release,” Niklasson was quoted as saying by the news portal.