Women’s rights activist, Zarifa Yaqoubi, who was previously detained along with her four colleagues in western Kabul, has been released after over 5 weeks of detention.
Fawzia Koofi, a former member of the Afghan parliament, and the chief of the Movement of Change for Afghanistan political party wrote a note on her Twitter handle on Zarifa’s release.
Zarifa was tagged in a post by Koofi that said, “Welcome dear, your fight and that of your companions is an exemplar of freedom fighters.”
“Prison makes you mature and your determination more serious, the fight continues.”
Zarifa Yaqoubi is a member of the executive council of the Movement of Change for Afghanistan, the country’s first political party led by a woman, Fawzia Koofi.
At least three other protesting women who participated in the same demonstration as Zarifa Yaqoubi confirmed her release in a conversation with Khaama Press.
Although Yaqoubi’s release has been confirmed, no information is available regarding the fate of her fellow protesters Farhat Popalzi and Humaira Yousuf, who are said to still be in custody.
Zarifa Yaqoubi was detained in early November, in western Kabul, from a press conference as she and her team were set to launch the Afghan Women’s Movement for Equality.
She and her male colleagues were arbitrarily detained by the gun-wielding forces, which included female police officers, at a press conference for women held in the Hazara area of Dasht-e-Barchi in west Kabul.
Her release follows numerous disregarded calls from political figures and rights organizations demanding her immediate release.
