UN calls for immediate release of female journalist and sports coach in Afghanistan

KABUL: Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, has called for the immediate release of Nazira Rashidi in Kunduz and Khadija Ahmadzada in Herat. Bennett on Saturday expressed concern over the detention of a female journalist and a female taekwondo coach in Afghanistan by the Taliban, emphasizing the need for their safety and prompt release. Sources previously reported that Nazira Rashidi, a female journalist in Kunduz, was detained by Taliban intelligence forces. The Taliban later confirmed her arrest, claiming that Rashidi and four other women were apprehended in connection with a “criminal case.” Additionally, Khadija Ahmadzada, a female taekwondo coach in the Jibril area of Herat, was arrested last week by Taliban enforcers of the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. Meanwhile, several human rights and women’s rights activists have demanded the “unconditional” release of Nazira Rashidi from Taliban custody. According to these activists, she has been in detention for over two weeks. Hajra Rashidi, Nazira’s sister, stated that her sister is the sole breadwinner for their family, and her continued detention has created serious difficulties for them. She has urged the Taliban to release Nazira as soon as possible. The events occur amid escalating pressure and restrictions imposed by the Taliban on women, journalists, and civil activists in Afghanistan, with the international community repeatedly warning about the consequences of such actions.