KABUL: Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities to immediately release two United Nations staff members and six employees of a non-governmental organisation who were detained in separate incidents in recent weeks.
The appeal comes days before the Taliban marks the fifth anniversary of its return to power, amid continued concerns over restrictions on humanitarian and human rights activities in Afghanistan.
Why is Human Rights Watch demanding the release of the detainees?
HRW said six employees of the Women and Children Legal Research Foundation (WCLRF) were detained after Taliban authorities allegedly raided the organisation’s Kabul office, confiscated equipment and later summoned the staff before taking them into custody. The rights group said the families of the detainees have not been informed of their whereabouts or any formal charges.
In a separate case, two Afghan staff members of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) were detained by Taliban intelligence officials in Herat. The UN said it has not been informed of the charges and has not been granted access to the detained employees.
How have the Taliban and the UN responded?
Taliban chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said he was seeking further information about the reported detentions but had not yet received final details. Meanwhile, the UN expressed concern over the arrests, warning that they could affect the organisation’s humanitarian operations in Afghanistan.
Human Rights Watch said the detentions could undermine the UN’s ability to deliver lifesaving assistance, as Afghanistan continues to rely heavily on international humanitarian aid.