OHCHR / AFGHANISTAN

The UN human rights office (OHCHR) said it was “very alarmed at the continued disappearance of six people who were abducted in Kabul two weeks ago in connection with the recent women’s rights protests,” and expressed grave concern for their well-being and safety, according to a spokesperson. UNTV CH

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:51
• Production Date: 1 February 2022
• Asset Language: English
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - UNHCHR
• Subject Topical: HUMAN RIGHTS
• Geographic Subject: AFGHANISTAN
• MAMS Id: 2705443
• Parent Id: 2705443
• Alternate Title: unifeed220201a

Description

STORY: OHCHR / AFGHANISTAN
TRT: 1:51
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 01 FEBRUARY 2022, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

Shotlist

01 FEBRUARY 2022, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

1. Wide shot, Palais des Nations entrance
2. Wide shot, briefing room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“We are very alarmed at the continued disappearance of six people who were abducted in Kabul two weeks ago in connection with the recent women’s rights protests. We are gravely concerned for their well-being and safety.”
4. Wide shot, journalists and videographer in briefing room
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“Since then, there have been reports coming in of house searches of other women in relation to their participation in protests. The lack of clear information on the location and well-being of these and other individuals perpetuates a climate of fear and uncertainty.”
6. Med shot, journalist photographer in briefing room
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“These reports have also brought into focus what appears to be a pattern of arbitrary arrests and detentions, as well as torture and ill-treatment, of civil society activists, journalists and media workers, and former Government and security forces personnel in Afghanistan.”
8. Wide shot, dais in briefing room
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“We call on the de facto authorities to publicly report on the findings of their investigation into the abduction and disappearance of these women and their relatives, to take all possible measures to ensure their safe and immediate release, and to hold those responsible to account.”
10. Med shot, screen and participant in briefing room
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR):
“All those who may be arbitrarily detained for exercising their rights must be promptly released. We also urge the Taliban leadership to send clear messages to their rank-and-file that there must be no reprisals against people who demonstrate peacefully and exercise their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.”
12. Med shot, dais

Storyline

The UN human rights office (OHCHR) said it was “very alarmed at the continued disappearance of six people who were abducted in Kabul two weeks ago in connection with the recent women’s rights protests,” and expressed grave concern for their well-being and safety, according to a spokesperson.

In the early evening of 19 January 2022, Parwana Ibrahim Khil and her brother-in-law were abducted while travelling in Kabul, Afghanistan. Later that same evening, Tamana Paryani and her three sisters were taken from a house in the city. Both women had participated in a peaceful street demonstration on 16 January, advocating for the human rights of women to be respected.

Speaking to reporters in Geneva today (01 Feb) OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said, since these events, there have been reports of house searches of other women in relation to their participation in protests. She said, “The lack of clear information on the location and well-being of these and other individuals perpetuates a climate of fear and uncertainty.”

Shamdasani said these reports also brought into focus “what appears to be a pattern of arbitrary arrests and detentions, as well as torture and ill-treatment, of civil society activists, journalists and media workers, and former Government and security forces personnel in Afghanistan.”

Shamdasani noted that the human rights office continued to receive credible allegations of other gross human rights violations, emphasizing that control over dissent appears to be tightening.

Despite the de facto authorities’ announcement on Saturday of an investigation into the disappearance of the six individuals, there is still no confirmed information on their whereabouts.

The OHCHR spokesperson said, “We call on the de facto authorities to publicly report on the findings of their investigation into the abduction and disappearance of these women and their relatives, to take all possible measures to ensure their safe and immediate release, and to hold those responsible to account.”

Shamdasani also urged the de facto authorities to guarantee that all reports of this nature are investigated promptly and effectively, and that action is taken to hold those responsible for abductions and arbitrary arrests accountable, in line with international human rights law.

She said, “All those who may be arbitrarily detained for exercising their rights must be promptly released. We also urge the Taliban leadership to send clear messages to their rank-and-file that there must be no reprisals against people who demonstrate peacefully and exercise their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.”