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The latest report from the United Nations confirms the reports from the Spontaneous Movement of Afghan women

Press release no. 7 – 23 June 2023

The recent report of the United Nations, which was presented by Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur for Afghanistan on Thursday June 15, 2023, confirms the physical and psychological torture by which the Taliban suppresses and silences the protests of Afghan women. The report called it a « widespread and systematic discrimination to which women and girls in Afghanistan are subjected.”

The UN report states that the Taliban has deprived Afghan women of all their political and social rights and created a male government without the presence of women. The report underlines that since  August 2021, “one of the most illustrative examples of the systematic discrimination against women and girls in Afghanistan today is the relentless issuance of edicts, decrees, declarations and directives restricting their rights, including their freedom of movement, attire and behaviour, and their access to education, work, health and justice”.

Richard Bennett reveals in his report that the peaceful protests of women in Kabul and other provinces, who raised their voices for their denied rights, were brutally suppressed by the Taliban in order to prevent it from spreading and gaining strength. « The Taliban brutally beat the protesting women and subjected them to sexual violence and torture. » The Taliban abducted hundreds of protesting women during street protests or later from their homes at night and transferred them to unknown places. In most cases, the Taliban denied the involvement of their people in kidnapping, arresting and killing women, but after national and international pressure, they released some detained women from their official and personal prisons.

Richard Bennett points out in his report that some of the protesting women were released from the Taliban prisons on the condition that they must « cease their protest activities and remain silent about the way they were treated by (the Taliban) and also the payment » The Taliban not only imprison and torture protesting women, but also threaten, arrest, imprison and kill the family members of active protesting women and other men who defend women’s rights. As a recent example, we can mention the capture, torture and imprisonment of Professor Ismail Mashal and Matiullah Wisa by the Taliban.

In its report, the United Nations commends the bravery and resistance of Afghan women against the Taliban: « Although the women and girls are tired, their resistance and struggle for their human dignity… continue in peaceful and creative ways« .

The Spontaneous Women’s Movement has always emphasized that the United States and its allies were responsible for the current tragedy in Afghanistan, which handed over political power to the Taliban for their strategic interests without considering the fate of Afghan women. Fortunately, the  United Nations report also criticizes the United States in this particular case of women, who ignored women’s rights during negotiations with the Taliban in Doha in 2020 for « political expediency « . The report states that « in the Doha agreement that paved the way for the return of the Taliban to power, there is not a single mention of women’s rights or a guarantee to preserve them. »

The Spontaneous Movement of Afghan Women asks the United Nations not only to publish and condemn the brutal acts of the Taliban against Afghan women, but to implement the necessary and effective practical measures. The United Nations and the international community should no longer witness the deprivation, torture and murder of Afghan women under the rule of the Taliban. The misogynistic Taliban should not be privileged, and no red carpet should be unrolled to recognize them in international conferences.

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An Afghan woman’s protest in front of the Norwegian Foreign Ministry

Press release no. 7 – 23 June 2023

On June 13, 2023, Meena Rafiq, a women’s rights activist, went on strike in front of the Norwegian Foreign Ministry in protest against the invitation and participation of the Taliban delegation to the three-day Oslo Freedom Forum. This women’s rights activist says that the Norwegian government gives concessions to the Taliban regardless of the anti-feminist policy of the Taliban in Afghanistan, and paves the way for the recognition of their government.

In the past, the Norwegian government invited Anas Haqqani and other senior Taliban leaders who are accused of war crimes to Oslo, and negotiated with them. This approach of appeasement with the Taliban by the Norwegian government proves that the claim of defending human rights and women’s rights is a lie.

After Meena Rafiq’s protest, more than seven Afghan organizations based in Norway, condemned the Norwegian government’s hosting of the Taliban, calling this support for terrorism.

The Spontaneous Movement of Afghan Women, which is the only independent voice of deprived women in Afghanistan, had announced its objection to this conference in its press release. The SMAW asked all the organizations and figures defending women’s rights to demand the Norwegian government to prevent the return of the Taliban delegation until the release of all protesting women imprisoned in official and private Taliban jails or detention centers.

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Suspend the return of the Taliban delegation to Afghanistan

The Spontaneous Movement of Afghan Women (SMAW) asks all women’s rights organizations and human rights activists and people who believe in freedom and justice to send letters of protest to the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs petter.tollefsen@mfa.no, the parliament postmottak@stortinget.no  and  embassies. The protesting initiatives should denounce the Norwegian government for inviting the Taliban delegation to the Oslo Freedom Forum  13-15 June 2023 held in Oslo.

The Spontaneous Movement of Afghan Women requests all its friends to stand by our side in the difficult struggle to defend the rights of deprived and oppressed women of Afghanistan and to firmly support the following demands:

1) As long as the Islamic Emirate of the Taliban in Afghanistan has not released all female protesting prisoners from their official and private prisons, the Taliban delegation that is currently staying in Norway should not be allowed to return to Kabul.

2) The Norwegian government and other countries that claim to defend human rights and women’s rights should not sacrifice the rights and demands of Afghan women for their political expediency and strategic goals.

3) In the future, no country should unconditionally host a delegation of the misogynistic Taliban group

4) Financial aid to the Taliban government under the pretext of humanitarian aid should be stopped immediately.

5) The United Nations report of June 15, 2023 https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-183800 regarding the catastrophic situation of human rights and the torture and oppression of women by the Taliban should be followed up separately and the Taliban should be held accountable.

6) Protection and urgent asylum should be provided to protesting women under the threat and persecution of the Taliban

Spontaneous Movement of Afghan women

June 16, 2023

Kabul, Afghanistan

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A Statement from Australia

The Australian section of the Freedom Socialist Party has addressed the Norwegian Embassy in Australia (extracts) :

« We also appeal to the Norwegian government to exert pressure on the Taliban to be held accountable for their crimes against the Afghan population, especially the women.

As the Afghan delegation is currently in Oslo, we call on the Norwegian government to demand the release of all the women imprisoned for protesting against the Taliban’s oppressive measures.

This representation is on behalf of the Australian sections of two socialist feminist organisations, Freedom Socialist Party and Radical Women. We stand in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan who are resisting the Taliban regime and the Spontaneous Movement of Afghan Women — brave women who are fighting for their rights.”

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A first tour of women Afghan activists in France, Belgium and Germany, from 5 to 9 june

Press release no. 6 – 13 June 2023

Women workers, lawyers, trade union activists, politicians and community activists took part in the five lectures given by our friend Hasina Sadet, an activist with the Spontaneous Movement of Afghan Women, during the first European tour organised by the International Committee for the Defence of Afghan Women, from 5 to 9 June.

In Metz (France), Brussels and Liège (Belgium), Erfurt and Berlin (Germany), our friend Hasina Sadet recalled that « the Spontaneous Movement of Afghan Women was created in Kabul on 22 September 2021, after the Taliban took over power in August 2021. It is an independent movement that is not linked to any political party and brings together democrats, nationalists, intellectuals, feminists, secularists, and members of civil society, journalists, teachers, students and housewives« .

She explained: « Present in Kabul and in many provinces, the movement operates in extremely difficult conditions: the Taliban regime reinstated by the US administration has eliminated all democratic freedoms and increased the number of measures excluding women from social life (education, employment, NGOs, public places, etc.). The Taliban regime has banned access to school for girls after the sixth form. One of the movement’s demands is therefore the reopening of all schools, universities and educational centres for girls. At the same time, it has organised a network of clandestine schools to take in girls who have been driven out of school: these are dozens of secret educational centres that enable several hundred girls to receive a free education, given by volunteer female teachers« .

As well as clandestine activities and meetings, the movement has also organised public events, such as demonstrations and rallies, in particular for the reopening of schools and universities to women. It has seized every opportunity to do so: 8 March, May Day, etc. But Hasina Sadet also pointed out that « because the ‘international community’ had failed to react seriously to the Taliban, in 2023 the latter were able to prevent demonstrations by resorting to repression, murder, imprisonment and torture. The Taliban killed dozens of women and imprisoned hundreds of demonstrators. Most of the families have been threatened with death, so that they will not speak to the media or human rights organisations« .

The Spontaneous Movement of Afghan Women, she explained, has therefore opened clandestine « houses of protection » to house threatened women activists. Hence the importance of the campaign being waged in several European countries to demand that the authorities in those countries immediately and unconditionally take in all women and activists under threat.

Hasina Sadet also highlighted the fact that every week the Taliban regime receives 45 million dollars from the US administration, under the guise of « humanitarian aid ». However, she explained, « this aid does not reach the women who need it, and only strengthens the misogynist Taliban regime: it is a real betrayal of the interests of the women of Afghanistan. It is therefore necessary to build and strengthen independent organisations, such as the International Committee for the Defence of Afghan Women and the Spontaneous Movement of Afghan Women « .

We would like to thank the organisers, activists, trade unionists and lawyers who welcomed Hasina Sadet, as well as the Maison de la Famille Willy Peers in Brussels and the Ver.di trade union section at the Free University of Berlin.

In anticipation of the next tour of Afghan women activists, in each of her conferences, Hasina Sadet has launched an appeal to strengthen the International Committee for the Defence of Afghan Women, to continue the campaign for unconditional asylum for threatened women activists and to financially support the organisation, in Afghanistan, of « protection houses » for women and clandestine schools for young girls.

We need your financial support!

The two tours by Afghan women activists in Europe are entirely self-financed. You can now make your contribution to the International Committee :

– by Bank Transfer to the account « Comité international de défense des femmes afghanes » BIC/SWIFT: CMCIFR2A; IBAN: FR76 1027 8060 5000 0213 5650 174

– by cheque (for France) to be sent to Comité international de défense des femmes afghanes, 67, avenue Faidherbe, 93100 Montreuil.

Spread the word about the International Committee for the Defence of Afghan Women …

and its website to extend the campaign of solidarity : https://atomic-temporary-213016724.wpcomstaging.com/

Save the dates :

The next European tour will be led by Ranna Amani, an activist with the Spontaneous Movement of Afghan Women: in Lisbon (Portugal) on Monday 26 June; in Bilbao (Spain) on Tuesday 27 June; in Marseille (France) on Wednesday 28 June; in Turin (Italy) on Thursday 29 June and in Geneva (Switzerland) on Friday 30 June.

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Statement #3 – January 26, 2023 Don’t let more protesting women be killed and imprisoned

Mursal Nabizada, a women’s rights activist and former member of the Afghan Parliament

Mursal Nabizada, a women’s rights activist and former member of the Afghan Parliament, was killed and her 17-year-old brother was wounded by “unknown” gunmen at her home in Kabul on January 15, 2023. After the Taliban returned to power in August 2021 and the Afghan parliament was dissolved, she quit and lived in Kabul. She criticized the misogynist, anti-science, anti-civil liberties policies of the religious Taliban regime. She supported the spontaneous movement of Afghan women who fight for education, work, freedom and women’s rights. Before her death, Ms. Nabizada had raised her concerns several times with her friends and some national and international organizations defending women’s rights regarding security threats to her life. But unfortunately, no human rights organization and no country claiming to defend human rights and women’s rights did not help Ms. Nabizada in time until she was finally killed.

Mursal was 32 years old and was from the eastern province of Nangarhar. Before being elected to the Wolesi Jirga of Afghanistan (Afghan Parliament), she was the head teacher of a school and always participated in social activities.

After the Taliban came to power and adopted a misogynistic and vengeful policy against educated and intellectual women of Afghanistan, the intelligence of the Taliban under the name of « unknown persons » killed dozens of women and imprisoned and tortured hundreds of others.On the one hand, the Taliban want girls to grow up illiterate by closing the gates of schools and educational centers for girls, and by banning girls from studying in universities, they deprive women and girls of higher education. On the other hand, women who are highly educated and who understand and defend their rights are killed by the Taliban to eliminate any resistance to their rule. According to their specific religious beliefs, the Taliban deny the human identity of women and do not consider them entitled to any human and civil rights.

« Spontaneous Movement of Afghan Women » strongly condemns the innocent murder of Mursal Nabizada and holds the misogynistic Taliban regime responsible for it. Because the Taliban’s systematic exclusion of women from various social fields, which means promoting violence and formalizing sexual apartheid against women, has caused an increase in violence against women at the level of families and society.

« Spontaneous Movement of Afghan Women » calls on women’s rights organizations, human rights organizations and progressive forces of the world to support the brave struggle of Afghan women and girls against the theocratic and misogynistic regime. We should not be more spectators of killing, torturing and imprisoning women by the Taliban. Currently, hundreds of intellectual women protesting the policies of the Taliban are hiding due to security threats from the Taliban, and they may face the fate of Mursal Nabizada at any moment. They need your help and immediate action today, tomorrow may be too late.

Spontaneous Movement of Afghan women

January 18, 2023

Kabul, Afghanistan

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The appearance of women in the city without a Mahram (1) is forbidden

The Taliban are making the space for women in Afghanistan more and more limited with each passing day. Ahmad Shah Dinparast, the Taliban governor in Ghor province, has ordered the police not to let women roam around the city without a Mahram. After the Taliban prevented girls from going to school and university, from parks and public baths, and from working in government institutions and non-govermental organizations, now they tend to prevent even women from going to the doctor and receiving treatment, buying their daily necessities in the local market.

The governor of the Taliban emphasizes that to leave the house, it is not enough for women to wear full hijab, they must also be accompanied by an adult Mahram man. If young girls and women violate this order of the Taliban, the religious police of the Taliban will beat and punish not only the woman or girl, but also the male members of her family.

Following the implementation of the anti-women decree of the Taliban, Ghor province has taken on a completely masculine face and no women are seen in the city or outside the house. This means that the Taliban have imprisoned women and girls in their homes with this order.

On the other hand, after the rule of the Taliban in Afghanistan, the situation of women’s human rights has worsened and domestic violence, marriages with underage girls, forced marriages, polygamy of Taliban people and finally women’s suicide have reached their peak.

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(1) Mahram: a man who is related to the woman but whom she cannot marry. She is placed under his authority.

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Campaign: from house to street to overthrow the Taliban

These days, protesting women in some provinces of Afghanistan have launched a protest campaign called « from house to street to overthrow the Taliban » against the despotic and misogynist regime of the Taliban. Due to the brutal repression of the Taliban, they are forced to share their voices with mass media and people in different ways. They make short video clips with their faces covered, writing some of their slogans and demands on flipcharts and reading:

  • I was a student. But because I am a woman, I am not allowed to go to university.
  • I am a journalist, but I do not have the right to freedom of expression
  • I was an employee in an NGOs, but I am not allowed to work.
  • The Taliban have imprisoned us in our homes because we are women. But we will not give up.
  • Death to the misogynistic dictator
  • From the house to the street to overthrow the Taliban

One of the protesting women says that she not only as a woman but also as an Afghan citizen wants the Taliban regime to be overthrown. She states that she never like to study, work or live under the umbrella of the Taliban government.

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Women write, Taliban erase

Every night in Kabul and Herat, protesting women of « Spontaneous Movement of Afghan Women » write anti-Taliban slogans and their demands on city walls and streets, but the Taliban government erases them. The anti-feminist government of the Taliban is afraid of women’s demonstrations and the voice of women’s awakening and protest, and they always try to suppress it. Taliban intelligence is trying to identify, arrest, torture and even kill protesting women.

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Women’s protests getting the sympathy of families and men

After the Taliban brutally suppressed women’s protests in the streets and imprisoned the protesters, the women never retreated and their struggle continues. This struggle has not only been reduced in the form of mass presence in the street, but has spread within each family and has also gained the support of the men of the families. Sayed Akram, a resident of Kabul, who has three young daughters, is worried about his daughters’ education and future. He supports the struggle of his three daughters for the reopening of girls’ schools and universities.

Ruhollah from Nangarhar Province, who lost both his eyesight in the war, is worried about his family’s economic problems. He says that his wife was working in one of the foreign institutions and she was the only breadwinner in the family of ten people. After the Taliban banned women from working in domestic and foreign institutions, she lost her job and currently has no other income to support her family. He asks men and youth to support women’s protests for bread, work, education and freedom.

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