Shafi Azam, Afghan official of the country’s Foreign Ministry, tweeted that women and the youth often “hide behind” the protection of civil rights to receive asylum abroad….reports Asian Lite News
The Afghan women that came to Oslo as part of a delegation of the Taliban applied for asylum in Norway, a media report said on Saturday.
The Taliban delegation paid a visit to Oslo last month to hold talks with Afghan politicians, civil activists, diplomats of Norway and other countries.
“The women who were invited to a meeting in Norway now asked for asylum there,” said Khairullah Shinwari, the director of information technologies department of the Taliban led Afghan Foreign Ministry, as quoted by Russian news agency Sputnik.
Shafi Azam, another Afghan official of the country’s Foreign Ministry, tweeted that women and the youth often “hide behind” the protection of civil rights to receive asylum abroad.
Last month, the UN International Labour Organization revealed that employment of women in Afghanistan dropped by 16 per cent in the third quarter 2021, after the Taliban seized power in Kabul.
In December 2021, the Taliban issued a decree on women’s rights which acknowledged that women are not property and cannot be forced into marriage.
Later in January this year, the movement made it obligatory for women to wear face-covering hijab in public which caused protests in Kabul.
Women activists missing
At least four women, who were organising and participating in civil protests in Afghanistan, have gone missing, Tolo News reported.
Reports of a second instance of missing women’s rights activists — two more were allegedly abducted this week — have sparked international reactions, with many public figures and organisations demanding information about the fate of the women who have gone missing.
The US special envoy for Afghan women, Rina Amiri, said that if the Islamic Emirate seeks legitimacy from the world and the people inside Afghanistan, it must respect the human rights of the Afghans, the report said.
Zahra Mohammadi and Mursal Ayar are the two female activists who went missing two days ago. Over two weeks ago, Tamana Paryani and Parwana Ibrahimkhil had gone missing.
“These unjust detentions must stop. If the Taliban seek legitimacy from the Afghan people and the world they must respect Afghans’ human rights – especially for women – including the freedom of expression and immediately release these women, their relatives and other activists,” Amiri said on Twitter.
Some women’s rights activists called on the international community to take serious steps to release of the detained female activists, the report said.
“This is concerning that women are going missing one day after another. There is no guarantee. Tomorrow, maybe I or someone else who is fighting for their rights will be arrested,” said Sonia, a female rights activist, who participated in the recent protest in Kabul.
“If the women are being detained for the sake of the protest, this is injustice because protesting is our right and we will continue it,” said Bahara, a women’s rights activist.
UNAMA said it sought “urgent information” from the Interior Ministry on the latest reported detentions of female activists in Kabul.
“UN repeats its call for all disappeared women activists and relatives to be released,” UNAMA said on Twitter.
Some social media users launched a campaign calling for the release of the detained women. (ANI/IANS)
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