Tarz Press: In its recent report titled “Double Betrayal: Past and Present Abuses of Afghan Policewomen,” Human Rights Watch delivers a powerful and shocking account of the plight of Afghan women in the police force. The report calls on the international community, especially countries that supported Afghanistan’s former police force, to provide asylum and effective support to these women.
The report highlights that the Taliban have been threatening policewomen who served under the previous government, exacerbating the difficulties they already face from families opposed to their police work. It details how these women have been victimized in two different periods: first, under the previous government, where they endured systemic sexual harassment with little accountability, often from the very authorities meant to protect them. Second, after the fall of the previous government and the return of the Taliban, they now face persecution not only from the Taliban but from a society that condemns them as traitors to traditional culture.
According to the report, many policewomen were subjected to sexual abuse during the previous government and, due to the discriminatory and unjust system, had no legal recourse or ability to protest. Some were even threatened with the loss of child custody if they spoke out. One woman interviewed by Human Rights Watch said, “The local police commander came to my house when my husband was not there and raped me. If I had filed a formal complaint, I would have lost custody of my children and my life would have fallen apart.”
The report details various forms of sexual harassment within Afghanistan’s power structures. One former police officer stated, “From the outside, everything looked normal, but those inside the system experienced a very different reality. I saw many times when guards stopped women, harassed them, and even touched them. No one was held accountable.” These accounts paint a grim picture of the moral corruption and injustice that plagued the previous regime.
Since the Taliban’s return to power, many policewomen who managed to flee are hiding in neighboring countries like Iran and Pakistan, desperately seeking asylum. These women remain under threat, constantly fearful of being identified or attacked by the Taliban. One woman told Human Rights Watch, “I wear a mask and sunglasses so that no one recognizes me. If anyone finds out I used to work in the police, they might report me to the Taliban, putting my life in danger.”
The report further notes that the Taliban’s repression of women, especially former police officers, has had severe consequences. Many have been entirely removed from the workforce and are struggling to find any source of income to survive. The economic collapse of Afghanistan has worsened their situation, leaving them in unbearable conditions.
Human Rights Watch has called on the countries that once supported Afghanistan’s police force, including the U.S., Canada, Japan, and the European Union, to fulfill their moral and humanitarian responsibilities by offering these women asylum and prioritizing their protection. The report emphasizes that many of these countries were aware of the sexual abuses within Afghanistan’s security forces for years but failed to take any action to stop it, and now they are neglecting to support these women in their time of need.
The international body has urged the global community to ensure the safety of former Afghan policewomen by providing them asylum and protection from Taliban persecution. Human Rights Watch especially called on the U.S. and European countries to take immediate steps to expand refugee resettlement capacity and prioritize the protection of these women, who are at significant risk.
Farshteh Abbasi, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch, stated, “The double discrimination and repression faced by Afghan policewomen is a human tragedy. Western countries that played a role in their training and financial support must now protect them and prevent further victims.”
Based on 24 in-person and remote interviews with former Afghan policewomen from five provinces and various countries, including the U.S., Sweden, Italy, Iran, and Pakistan, the report also highlights that many of these women have not received adequate psychological support and continue to suffer from the trauma of years of abuse. In conclusion, Human Rights Watch calls on all relevant organizations and countries to take urgent measures to end this cycle of injustice and provide shelter and asylum for former Afghan policewomen.
