Four women activists in Afghanistan have been released by the country’s “de facto authorities” after going missing weeks ago, the United Nations has said, Trend reports citing Al Jazeera.
Since storming back to power in August, the Taliban have cracked down on dissent by forcefully dispersing women’s rallies, detaining critics and often beating local journalists covering unsanctioned protests.
Tamana Zaryabi Paryani, Parwana Ibrahimkhel, Zahra Mohammadi and Mursal Ayar went missing after participating in an anti-Taliban rally, but Afghanistan’s new rulers – whose government is still not recognised by any country – had consistently denied detaining them.
“After a long period of uncertainty about their whereabouts and safety, the four ‘disappeared’ Afghan women activists, as well as their relatives who also went missing, have all been released by the de facto authorities,” the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said on Twitter on Sunday.
AFP reported the release of Ibrahimkhel on Friday. She went missing along with Paryani on January 19, days after taking part in a rally in Kabul calling for women’s right to work and education.
Weeks later, Mohammadi and Ayar went missing. Some relatives of the four women protesters had also gone missing.
Shortly before she disappeared, footage of Paryani was shared on social media showing her in distress, warning of Taliban fighters at her door.