Women | Naseer Ahmad Faiq told the UN General Assembly's Third Committee that rights defenders in Afghanistan, especially women, face detention, torture and threats, Hasht-e Subh reports; the report has not yet been confirmed by other sources

ACW | October 21, 2026 — Naseer Ahmad Faiq, Afghanistan's chargé d'affaires at the United Nations, told the Third Committee of the General Assembly that defending human rights in Afghanistan "can come at the cost of a person's freedom, security, and life", according to Hasht-e Subh.

Faiq said the Taliban target rights defenders, especially women, through detention without due process, torture, enforced disappearances and threats against their relatives. Threats against families, he said, make defenders more vulnerable and discourage others from speaking out.

He said women protesters and rights defenders held by the Taliban face sexual harassment and threats of sexual violence. People who advocate for girls' education, support survivors of violence or document abuses face serious threats, he added.

Hasht-e Subh published the statement on Wednesday, but the report does not give the exact date of the speech. The Taliban have not yet responded. This report has not yet been confirmed by other sources.

Background: The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported 443 arbitrary detentions by Taliban morality police in its update for July to September 2026. According to KabulNow, UNAMA said on 8 October that at least 52 women and one girl were briefly detained in Kabul and Herat over alleged dress code violations in the same period.

Why it matters: Faiq said fear of retaliation and social stigma stops people from reporting abuses or seeking accountability. UNAMA has likewise said the true number of women detained could be higher because some cases go unreported out of fear for personal safety and stigma.

ACW will continue to follow this story.

Sources: Hasht-e Subh — Faiq: defending human rights in Afghanistan can cost people their lives; UNAMA — Human rights update, July to September 2026; KabulNow — Taliban briefly detain 52 women, one girl over dress code, UN says

Photo: Hasht-e Subh