Zarmina Pariani, a well-known protester and former Taliban prisoner, delivered a harrowing testimony on Thursday at the People’s Tribunal for the Women of Afghanistan held in Madrid, Spain.
She recounted how, after publicly opposing the Taliban’s oppressive decrees—including the ban on women leaving home without a male guardian—she was arrested at night in January 2022 along with her four sisters and taken to a Taliban intelligence prison.
Details of Torture and Abuse in Prison
Ms. Pariani revealed that she and her sisters were subjected to 27 days of torture and interrogation. She emphasized that no female police officers were present in the facility and that she could hear her sister being tortured in the next room.
Humiliation and Threats
Speaking of the brutality she endured, Ms. Pariani said:
“During interrogation, the Taliban took photos of my naked body and threatened to stone me to death so that everyone could take part in my killing.”
The women’s rights activist also stated that many women have died under torture in Taliban prisons, yet their cases have never been made public.
Taliban Denial and Current Situation
Referring to Taliban statements that falsely claimed she had “gone into hiding to seek asylum,” Ms. Pariani said:
“We were under torture, but the Taliban branded us as liars.”
She warned that Taliban prisons remain full of defenseless women, and the world must not remain silent in the face of these ongoing crimes.
