RASC News Agency: Manizha Siddiqi, a prominent Afghan activist and member of the women’s resistance movement, has accused the Taliban of subjecting her to repeated acts of group sexual assault during her incarceration in their detention facilities. Siddiqi, who endured seven months in Taliban custody, released a video on Sunday, December 1, disclosing that she is now in a neighboring country. However, she faces imminent deportation to Afghanistan due to her lack of legal residency documentation, putting her at grave risk. In her testimony, Siddiqi alleged that Taliban members carried out systematic sexual assaults against her in various detention facilities, including the notorious Pul-e-Charkhi prison. She also recounted enduring relentless physical and psychological torture, harassment, and inhumane treatment at the hands of her captors.
“For seven months, I was subjected to unimaginable levels of torture, brutality, and dehumanization. I now appeal to international human rights organizations to intervene and ensure my protection,” Siddiqi implored. Siddiqi was arrested by the Taliban’s intelligence directorate in October 2023 following her participation in a peaceful protest in Kabul. At the time, Amnesty International condemned the lack of access to legal representation for Siddiqi and warned of the severe risk of torture and abuse she faced in custody. In her latest statement, Siddiqi reiterated that members of the Taliban intelligence unit and prison staff in Pul-e-Charkhi engaged in coordinated acts of sexual violence against her.
Her revelations echo numerous reports from other women who have survived Taliban detention. Former detainees have repeatedly alleged sexual violence, torture, and humiliation at the hands of their jailers. Amnesty International has documented cases of systematic sexual violence against women in Taliban-controlled detention facilities, adding credibility to Siddiqi’s harrowing account. Despite mounting evidence and survivor testimonies, Taliban officials have consistently denied allegations of sexual violence and torture in their prisons, dismissing them as baseless propaganda.
