Bangui, Brussels, Kabul, Lomé, Male, Ottawa, Stockholm
Today, Parliamentarians for Global Action’s Parliamentary Rapid Response Team (PARRT) publicly condemns the vile assassination of former Afghan Member of Parliament, Ms. Mursal Nabizada, by the Taliban regime and expresses its condolences to her family, friends, and loved ones.
On 15 January 2023, PARRT Member, Hon. Mariam Solaimankhil (Afghanistan) shared the tragic news with the group, including members of Parliament from Afghanistan, Canada, the Central African Republic, the European Parliament, Maldives, and Togo. According to news reports, her bodyguard and Ms. Nabizada were shot at her house in Kabul by armed men. Her brother and a second security guard, who were also present, were wounded in the attack. The police spokesperson said that an immediate investigation would be carried out.
Ms. Nabizada, 32, was a Member of Parliament from 2019 to 2021 when the Taliban deposed the Afghan government. She was a member of the Parliamentary Defense Commission and worked at the Institute for Human Resources Development and Research. During her term as MP, Ms. Nabizada was very critical of the Taliban and their policies, and despite the multiple challenges the country faces, she was one of the very few former lawmakers who remained in Afghanistan.
PARRT denounces this killing as not only an attack on democracy and the rule of law but also as an attack on all women fighting for human rights in Afghanistan and around the world.
As we grieve her loss, let us raise our voices for the women of Afghanistan who are facing unimaginable atrocities at the hands of the Taliban. We have lost a true sister, but her memory and mission must live on. As Members of Parliament, we need to use our collective strength and push governments to free Afghan people from daily oppression and violence. Let us remember to be grateful for our rights and never forget those still fighting for their basic human rights. We need to stand together with and fight for the women in Afghanistan. PARRT Member, Hon. Mariam Solaimankhil, MP in Exile (Afghanistan)
Hon. Hon. Mariam Solaimankhil, MP in Exile
Afghanistan
Since the fall of Kabul in August 2021, women’s rights have deteriorated with restrictions such as the veto of universities and secondary schools, gender segregation in public places, the imposition of the veil, the obligation to be accompanied by a male relative on long journeys, and more recently, banning their employment with foreign aid groups, which has prompted some agencies to suspend their operations in the country. The Taliban have also excluded all women from positions of power within the Government, putting an end to one of the most outstanding achievements of women who reached high positions and represented the country at national, regional, and international levels.
The brutal killing of former MP Ms. Mursal Nabizada appears to have been carried out within a clear framework and pattern of systematic attacks directed against Afghani civilians who are not aligned with the Taliban rulers and, in particular, against women and girls who are persecuted and, at times, enslaved by men exercising absolute control against their will.
Given that Afghanistan is a State Party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) since May 2003, the Office of the Prosecutor and relevant Chambers should apply the Statute and initiate relevant cases against the persons who are most responsible for these widespread and systematic policies of atrocities, especially those targeting women and girls.
Hon. Hon. Mariam Solaimankhil, MP in Exile
Afghanistan
PARRT Member, Hon. Mariam Solaimankhil, MP in Exile (Afghanistan)
Members of Parliament have firmly called attention to an increase in the deterioration of women's rights worldwide.
PARRT Member Ms. Anita Vandenbeld, MP (Canada), shared with the group that Canada’s Parliamentary Women’s Caucus has a new initiative to politically sponsor women imprisoned in Iran. Legislators from the country are assigned to one prisoner and use their platforms to raise awareness of her case. Ms. Vandenbeld encouraged other parliamentarians to join similar efforts, which may bring about significant changes. Similarly, Ms. Hannah Neumann, MEP (Germany) and PARRT Member, stressed that European parliamentarians have also started to sponsor jailed Iranian protesters to raise awareness of individuals who have been arbitrarily detained.
Just toward the end of last year, PGA issued another statement supporting women parliamentarians facing violence worldwide as attacks against them have considerably increased. PGA’s Campaign to “S.T.O.P. Violence Against Women Legislators” and the recent statement contained specific call-for-action for Parliamentarians to implement in their own countries and combat this scourge.
PGA renews its call on the international community to forcefully reject Taliban policies resulting in worsening conditions against the Afghan population, especially against girls and women. We will continue affirming the rights of Afghan victims of these atrocities at the International Criminal Court (ICC), among other key stakeholders, and amplifying their voices in PGA-hosted activities.
