While welcoming the release of women’s rights activist Nargis Sadat and university instructor Zakaria Osuli, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) called for the “immediate release of all those arbitrarily detained.
“UNAMA also said that “no Afghan should be detained for exercising their freedom of expression.”
Nargas Sadat was detained nearly two months ago by the Islamic Emirate.
Late Monday, UNAMA welcomed the release of Sadat and Osuli, saying that it remains concerned about the arbitrary detention of a number of Afghanistan civil society activists, “including rights defenders who have spoken out about rights of women and girls, some held incommunicado for months.”
The Islamic Emirate’s spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, said that all of the detainees were arrested because of committing violations and that they will be freed after their cases proceed.
“There are sometimes detentions, arrests and even jail time—the courts are working in this regard. Therefore, sometimes someone who is considered a perpetrator or offense, they should be punished. Those that you have named are in custody. Their crimes have not yet been considered. The courts should make a decision about them. But there are allegations that they were working against the government and public order. They were maybe controlled by foreigners to disturb the government,” he said.
Several human rights activists and women rights activists as well as educational activists are being held by the Islamic Emirate.
