By Somaia Valizadeh
Zholia Parsi and her son spent three months in Taliban prison
On September 27, 2023, the Taliban intelligence organization raided the residence of Zholia Parsi, an Afghan women’s rights activist. Both she and her son were detained for their civil protests against gender apartheid. She said: “My last protest in Kabul was for supporting Tamna Zaryab Pariani, from my home. Ten days after that protest I was arrested by the Taliban.”
The arrest of Parsi is part of a wider repression of women’s rights activists since the Taliban took power. The return of this militant group to power has raised significant concerns about the future of women’s rights in the country, with many fearing a regression to oppressive practices witnessed during the Taliban’s previous rule from 1996 to 2001.
Zholia Parsi and her son were released on December 18, 2023. They were released after nearly three months of detention, during which they suffered torture and ill-treatment.
Torture, Mistreatment, and executions
Zholia Parsi, one of the leaders of the Afghan Spontaneous Women Protesters Movement and a nominee for the Martin Ennal Human Rights Award, went through severe torture in detention.Parsi was beaten with guns and whips by the Taliban during protests in Kabul. But she says that the conditions in detention are hell for women and human rights defenders and shared painful stories from the Taliban prison. Parsi witnessed the issuance of orders to stone two girls and to torture prisoners, especially girls under the age of 18.
Due to the conditions of the two times in detention, Zholia’s health deteriorated significantly, leading to her being hospitalized. According to her, both male and female prisoners were subjected to physical and mental torture by the Taliban.
Parsi says that prisoners, especially women, do not have access to food and water in Taliban prisons. Torture and injustice have hurt Zholia’s psyche. She stated that following her release from prison, she experiences night terrors and is unable to attain tranquility during her sleep.
While in custody, Zholia and other women advocates for human rights were subjected to physical and psychological torture. She further explained that they did not have access to a lawyer or regular family visits during their detention.
Moreover, Zholia Parsi was not provided with access to a psychologist and health services to improve her mental health after her release from the Taliban prison.
After her release from prison, she hid and remained silent for a duration of three months under the Taliban regime in Kabul. Subsequently, she obtained a medical visa from Pakistan with her family and subsequently immigrated to that country.
Zholia Parsi’s background in Afghanistan
Zholia Parsi has a degree from the University of Takhar province with a major in Persian literature. She has been recognized as a human rights activist whose work focuses on education and social participation for women and girls. Prior to the return of the Taliban to power in August 2021, Parsi was a teacher. She is encouraging girls and young women to learn and be educated.
Education is a tool for empowerment and social inclusion, according to her efforts. It is clear that her work aimed to support and uplift women and girls in Afghanistan through educational initiatives, emphasizing their rights and opportunities in society.
Protest in front of Golbahar Center to support the hashtag of bread, work, and freedom to fight gender apartheid in Kabul, August 2023
The Human Rights Foundation “Faridam No” has announced that Zolia Parsi, the champion of Afghan women’s rights, who fought for the lost rights of women after the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, is a candidate for the equivalent of the Nobel Prize for Human Rights known as the “Martin Ennals Award.”
Zholia Parsi says that the international community should continue to support Afghan women and girls and make sure that the Taliban respect human rights.
Zholia Parsi’s problems in Pakistan
Zholia’s medical visa has a limited duration and will soon expire.
She is having trouble getting a residence permit document and her mental and physical health are not good. She needs a doctor, but she can’t find a psychologist in Pakistan to treat her mental health.
Moreover, she is at risk of arrest as the Taliban’s influence extends beyond the borders of Afghanistan. There are instances of online hate speech labeling her as a “Western spy” and other demeaning terms in the context of Pakistan.
Her case has been registered with the German Embassy in Pakistan for visa application. However, after more then three months, she has not received an answer. She hopes to get a German visa soon.
Zholia is unable to return to Taliban Afghanistan and wishes to resume her life in a secure location at the earliest convenience.
She asserts that the Taliban obtained a guarantee from her family that, after her and her son’s release, they would refrain from criticizing or protesting against the Taliban regime. Before that, the Taliban forcibly recorded a video of Zholia and her son forcing them to regret and deny further protests. International and human rights organizations also advocated for their release and had discussions with the Taliban.
