A UN rights body has called for the release of four Afghan women activists and their relatives detained or arrested by the Taliban in the last few weeks. The call came after the Islamist group intensified their targeted actions against protesting women and girls seeking their rights.

The United Nations’ Office of High Commission of Human Rights (OHCHR) said there was no information about the whereabouts of the four women, who it said reportedly took part in a protest on women's rights on 16 January and added it was pressing the authorities for information on these cases.

"We call for their immediate release. We are gravely concerned for the safety of the disappeared women and their family members," Liz Throssell, an OHCHR spokesperson, was quoted as saying by Reuters.

Parwana Ibrahim Khil and Tamana Paryani, the two women rights activists, were abducted with their relatives on 19 January, while Mursal Ayar and Zahra Mohammadi were detained last week, she said, adding that no information was available on where they were being held.

The Taliban officials have denied their role in the abduction— a claim refuted by the fact that one of the missing activists, Parwana, was live-streaming a video on her social media account while the Taliban officials were barging into her home.

Bilal Karimi, a Taliban spokesperson, said, "Still we are investigating and trying to find information."

Last week, Deborah Lyons, UN special envoy for Afghanistan and the head of the UNAMA, met senior Taliban officials and expressed “concern” over the well-being of disappearing women activists.

On Tuesday, Lyons also met Taliban’s deputy Prime Minister Abdul Salam Hanafi, seeking all measures for the release of activists and their liberty.
(SAM)