Afghan Women in Germany Stage Hunger Strike Against Taliban’s Gender Apartheid

A group of Afghan women in Cologne, Germany, is currently engaged in a hunger strike to denounce the oppressive “gender apartheid” regime in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Zarmina Paryani, one of the protesters, highlighted the dire situation in her homeland, where women are denied access to education, freedom of movement, and basic amenities like restaurants and transportation.

The Paryani sisters, who had escaped to Germany in 2022 after facing arrest by the Taliban for their activism in Afghanistan, are actively participating in the 12-day hunger strike. Tamana Paryani, one of the sisters, shared an image on social media displaying a banner with the message “Afghanistan should be recognized as a country where gender apartheid exists.”

Zarmina Paryani emphasized the ongoing repression by the Taliban, citing arbitrary arrests, torture, and the targeted killings of political and human rights activists. She expressed frustration that the international community remains largely silent in the face of these atrocities.

Initially initiated by sixteen women in Cologne, the hunger strike has persisted for four days, with three participants continuing their protest as of Monday.

Re-reported from the article originally published in The Barron’s