Human Rights Watch: Female Police Officers Abused Under Previous Regime and Taliban

The organization, in its report released on Thursday (October 10), stated that Taliban officials have threatened female police officers from the previous regime.

The report documents threats made by Taliban officials over the past three years, based on interviews with several female police officers both inside and outside the country.

The report states, "Female police in Afghanistan have been doubly betrayed; first by the previous government whose officials were responsible for widespread sexual abuse, and then by the Taliban, who have threatened them."

Interviewees said they received "frightening" phone calls from Taliban officials demanding information about their previous work. According to the report, these women have been forced to go into hiding due to Taliban threats.

The report also notes, "Hundreds of female police officers, while employed by the previous government, were harassed and sexually assaulted by male colleagues and superiors." Additionally, the Taliban have not investigated the murders of several female police officers by their relatives.

Most of these former female officers are now living in limbo in countries like Iran and Pakistan.

Human Rights Watch has called on countries that supported training and employment programs for female police in Afghanistan to provide support to these former female officers.

It is worth noting that reports of threats against former female police officers by the Taliban have been published before.