Zarmina Paryani, a prominent women's rights activist, criticised the public's indifference to the Taliban's treatment of women and urged people to protest against the harassment of women in Afghanistan.
She revealed that the Taliban members had "stripped her and other women” in prison.
Paryani stated that the Taliban clicked group photos of her and the other women present along with her while they were naked.
The women's rights activist made these remarks in response to criticisms about her attire on social media. She asked her critics to stop harassing her and her family, asserting that her lifestyle and choices are personal matters and not the concern of her family.
On July 6, Paryani posted a photo with a message on the social media platform X, criticising values that endorse male ownership of women. She declared that she is fighting against these "religious and cultural" values.
The post and photo sparked a wave of both criticism and support for Paryani. She said that following the publication of the post, her family was subjected to harassment.
Addressing her critics, Paryani wrote, "If you feel guilty about seeing a woman's bare body, then stop the Taliban, who have removed women's hijabs in prisons over the past three years and have committed numerous atrocities against the women of my country."
In a video message, she said, "You saw me in a short-sleeved shirt, but the Taliban, with their guns, jihad, and Islamic flag, saw my body in just a bra."
Paryani urged her critics to direct their anger towards the Taliban instead of attacking her and to prevent women from being stripped in the group's prisons.
Paryani's revelations come amid previous accounts from other Afghan female activists who protested against the Taliban who were imprisoned by the group, sharing their harrowing experiences with the media.
On January 19, 2022, the Taliban’s intelligence members raided Zarmina Paryani's home in Kabul, arresting her and her three protesting sisters. They were detained by the Taliban for 26 days. After their release, the Paryani sisters secretly fled the country and sought refuge in Germany.
