Outcome EDUCATION ACTIVISTS RELEASED

Outcome: Education activists Ahmad Fahim Azimi and Seddiqullah Afghan have been released after several months of arbitrary detention. Seddiqullah Afghan was released on 9 April 2024 as part of pardon for prisoners on Eid. Ahmad Fahim Azimi was released on 26 September 2024 by the Taliban court citing lack of evidence.

No further action is requested. Many thanks to all who sent appeals.

Ahmad Fahim Azimi and Seddiqullah Afghan, activists working with the education organization, Fekre Behtar, were arbitrarily arrested at their office in Karta Char, Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, by the Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) District 40, on October 17, 2023. While Seddiqullah Afghan was released on April 9 under the Taliban’s supreme leader Eid pardon decision for prisoners, Ahmad Fahim Azimi is imprisoned in Pul-e-Charkhi prison. He is falsely accused of working against the Taliban de-facto authorities, convicted through an unfair trial by the Taliban primary court, and sentenced to one year in prison. His arrest, arbitrary detention, and unfair trial are against international human rights law. He must be immediately and unconditionally released. 

PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: July 9, 2024

take action:

• Write a letter in your own words or using the sample below as a guide to one or both government officials listed. You can also email, fax, call or Tweet them.
• Click here to let us know the actions you took on Second Urgent Action 9.24. It’s important to report because we share the total number with the officials we are trying to persuade and the people we are trying to help.

contact information:

sample letter:

Your Excellency,

I am writing to express my deep concern about the arbitrary arrest and detention of education activist, Ahmad Fahim Azimi, who works with Fekre Behtar, an organization which is recognized for its work with the Afghan girls’ robotics team. The organization is also a vocal critic of the education restrictions the Taliban imposes on women and girls.

I am gravely concerned that Azimi is reportedly subjected to torture and other ill-treatment, including sleep deprivation and solitary confinement.

I therefore urge you to immediately and unconditionally release Ahmad Fahim Azimi. Further, I urge you to stop the practices of abduction, arbitrary detention, and torture and other ill treatment of people working to defend human rights including those peacefully campaigning for the right to education.

Yours sincerely, 

[YOUR NAME]

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