Protest rally in Paris; Activists demand immediate support for Afghan women, end to legitimization of Taliban

Kabul Times News | Paris | June 13, 2026
Reporter: Samiullah Jahesh
A number of women’s rights activists, members of the Afghan community and human rights advocates held a protest rally in the Place de la République in Paris on Saturday, June 13, to express their support for Afghan women and call for immediate action by the international community to end the Taliban’s oppression of women.

Under the slogan “In the name of education, work, freedom,” the participants of the rally emphasized that Afghan women and girls are still deprived of their most basic human rights, including the right to education, work, freedom of movement and participation in social and political life.

A statement read at the rally stated that recent reports of abductions of women and girls, widespread restrictions on individual freedoms and the creation of a climate of fear and pressure in Herat and other parts of Afghanistan are part of an organized policy of repression and discrimination against women.

The protesters called these actions a clear, systematic and unjustifiable violation of human rights and stressed that depriving women of their freedom, depriving them of education and work, and limiting their presence in society violate the fundamental principles of human rights and human dignity.

The statement also strongly criticized what was called the “normalization of political relations with the Taliban.” Referring to the Taliban’s invitation to international meetings, including those held or planned in Europe, the participants warned that any political engagement with the Taliban without setting clear human rights preconditions and without holding the group accountable for its widespread violations of women’s rights would send a worrying message to victims of repression in Afghanistan.

The protesters emphasized that it was impossible to simultaneously support victims and accept perpetrators of repression as dialogue partners. They considered this approach to be in conflict with human rights values ​​and principles proclaimed by European countries.

Participants concluded by calling on the French government, the European Union, and the United Nations to take action to immediately release detained or abducted women and girls, effectively support human rights activists, hold the Taliban accountable for human rights violations, and recognize gender apartheid.

They also called for a halt to any process of political legitimization of the Taliban until restrictions on women’s education and employment are lifted, prisoners are released, and the repression of protesters ends.

Declaring solidarity with the women and protesters of Herat, the demonstrators emphasized that the voices of Afghan women will not be silenced and that the struggle for freedom continues.