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Amnesty International Calls on Afghan Authorities to Release ‘Matiullah Wesa’

By Nizamuddin Rezahi in Khaama Press online, June 28, 2023
Amnesty International called on Afghanistan’s de facto authorities to release Afghan educationist, Matiuallah Wesa, the founder of ‘Pen Path’ and supporter of girl’s education unconditionally.

Late Tuesday, Amnesty International in a tweet said the Taliban officials arbitrarily abducted and imprisoned Matiullah Wesa three months ago on unknown grounds.

“Under international human rights law, Wesa’s arbitrary detention is a violation of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. Therefore, the Taliban administration should immediately and unconditionally release Matiullah Wesa.”

Matiullah Wesa was detained on March 27 by the Taliban Intelligence unit while he was on his way home from the mosque in Khushhaal Khan, the fifth provincial district in Kabul city.

His family members described Wesa’s health conditions as worrying and said they have not been able to contact him since his arrest.

In early May, the organization had called on the Taliban authorities to release Matiullah Wesa and some other human rights activists, however, no improvement has been witnessed in this regard so far.

Rasul Parsi university lecturer, Hamza Ulfat and Shams ur Rahman Raheeq, civil society activists, Murtaza Behbudi Afghan-French photojournalist, Haseeb Ehrari poet and writer, and tens of other activists live in Taliban detention.

Besides some international organizations including the United Nations demanding the release of these activists, the Taliban administration has kept them imprisoned for months.

This comes as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in its May report had expressed concerns about the violation of human rights and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.

It is stated in this report that Taliban authorities silence the voices of their opponent through arbitrary detentions, death threats and harassment.
https://www.khaama.com/amnesty-international-calls-on-afghan-authorities-to-release-matiullah-wesa/