KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, has called for the immediate release of female journalist Nazira Rashidi and taekwondo coach Khadija Ahmadzada, who were recently detained by the Taliban.
In a post on X on Saturday, Bennett expressed deep concern over the women’s ongoing detention, stating: “Extremely concerned about reported ongoing detention of Nazira Rashidi in Kunduz and Khadija Ahmadazada in Herat and I call for their immediate release and safety.”
Nazira Rashidi, a journalist in northern Kunduz province, was reportedly detained by Taliban intelligence agents on 6 January after leaving her home in Kunduz city, according to the Afghanistan Media Support Organization. The Taliban later confirmed her detention, claiming she and four other women were being held in connection with a “criminal case.”
Khadija Ahmadzada, a female taekwondo coach, was detained along with her father by Taliban intelligence agents on January 13 in western Herat province and transferred to the provincial prison, local media reported. The reason for her arrest remains unclear. Her arrest comes amid a nationwide ban on women’s participation in sports.
Since seizing power in 2021, the Taliban have enforced sweeping restrictions on women and girls, barring them from secondary and higher education, most employment, sports, and public expression. Dozens of female journalists, media workers, and activists have faced detention, with some reports of torture.
Taliban morality police continue to detain women and girls for alleged violations of strict dress codes, including requirements to wear hijab and cover their faces in public.
