{"id":25116,"date":"2026-08-15T10:53:26","date_gmt":"2026-08-15T10:53:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hrnww.com\/?p=25116"},"modified":"2026-08-15T10:53:26","modified_gmt":"2026-08-15T10:53:26","slug":"human-rights-watch-urges-taliban-to-release-detained-un-and-ngo-workers-in-afghanistan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hrnww.com\/?p=25116","title":{"rendered":"Human Rights Watch Urges Taliban to Release Detained UN and NGO Workers in Afghanistan"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\" data-start=\"336\" data-end=\"737\"><strong data-start=\"336\" data-end=\"366\">Kabul, Afghanistan (HRNW):<\/strong> Human Rights Watch has called on the Taliban authorities to immediately release <strong data-start=\"447\" data-end=\"499\">six NGO workers and two United Nations employees<\/strong> detained in Afghanistan, warning that the arrests are increasing pressure on humanitarian and civil-society operations at a time when millions of Afghans remain dependent on international assistance.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"739\" data-end=\"1137\">According to Human Rights Watch, six male employees of the <strong data-start=\"798\" data-end=\"854\">Women and Children Legal Research Foundation (WCLRF)<\/strong> were detained after Taliban forces raided the organization&#8217;s Kabul office on 21 June. The organization says the staff members were subsequently detained on 18 July and that information about their condition and whereabouts has remained limited.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1139\" data-end=\"1463\">Human Rights Watch also reported that two Afghan employees of the <strong data-start=\"1205\" data-end=\"1253\">UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)<\/strong> were detained by Taliban intelligence officials in Herat on 9 August. The UN has reportedly not been informed of charges against the employees or permitted access to them.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1465\" data-end=\"1746\">The arrests have generated concern among humanitarian and human-rights organizations because restrictions on NGO personnel can directly affect the delivery of healthcare, protection services, education, food assistance, women&#8217;s rights programmes, and other humanitarian activities.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1748\" data-end=\"2079\">Human Rights Watch has urged the Taliban authorities to disclose the legal basis for the detentions, provide detainees with due-process protections, and release those held without lawful justification. The organization has also emphasized that humanitarian and human-rights workers must be able to operate safely and independently.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2081\" data-end=\"2380\">The development comes as Afghanistan marks <strong data-start=\"2124\" data-end=\"2174\">five years since the Taliban returned to power<\/strong>, with international organizations continuing to raise concerns over restrictions on women and girls, freedom of expression, civil society, and humanitarian operations.<\/p>\n<h3 data-section-id=\"v7rry8\" data-start=\"2382\" data-end=\"2404\"><span role=\"text\"><strong data-start=\"2386\" data-end=\"2404\">Support Appeal<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"2406\" data-end=\"2799\"><strong data-start=\"2406\" data-end=\"2799\">Support the World&#8217;s No.1 dedicated Human Rights News Agency to enhance its mission of promoting justice, equality, peace, humanitarian action, protection of human rights defenders, and human dignity worldwide. Your generous contribution enables HRNW to continue publishing independent, credible, and timely reporting on humanitarian crises and organizations defending fundamental freedoms.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2801\" data-end=\"2920\"><strong data-start=\"2801\" data-end=\"2818\">Support HRNW:<\/strong> <a class=\"decorated-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hrnww.com\/?page_id=1083\" target=\"_new\" rel=\"noopener\" data-start=\"2819\" data-end=\"2920\">Support HRNW \u2013 World&#8217;s No.1 dedicated Human Rights News Agency<\/a><\/p>\n<h3 data-section-id=\"jn3j7p\" data-start=\"2922\" data-end=\"2940\"><span role=\"text\"><strong data-start=\"2926\" data-end=\"2940\">Disclaimer<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"2942\" data-end=\"3281\"><em data-start=\"2942\" data-end=\"3281\">This HRNW report summarizes information and concerns publicly reported by Human Rights Watch, the United Nations, and other reliable sources. Allegations concerning detentions and treatment are attributed to the cited organizations and are not presented as final judicial findings by HRNW. HRNW maintains complete editorial independence.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"pvc_stats_25116\" class=\"pvc_stats total_only  \" data-element-id=\"25116\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.0\" viewBox=\"0 0 502 315\" preserveAspectRatio=\"xMidYMid meet\"><g transform=\"translate(0,332) scale(0.1,-0.1)\" fill=\"\" stroke=\"none\"><path d=\"M2394 3279 l-29 -30 -3 -207 c-2 -182 0 -211 15 -242 39 -76 157 -76 196 0 15 31 17 60 15 243 l-3 209 -33 29 c-26 23 -41 29 -80 29 -41 0 -53 -5 -78 -31z\"\/><path d=\"M3085 3251 c-45 -19 -58 -50 -96 -229 -47 -217 -49 -260 -13 -295 52 -53 146 -42 177 20 16 31 87 366 87 410 0 70 -86 122 -155 94z\"\/><path d=\"M1751 3234 c-13 -9 -29 -31 -37 -50 -12 -29 -10 -49 21 -204 19 -94 39 -189 45 -210 14 -50 54 -80 110 -80 34 0 48 6 76 34 21 21 34 44 34 59 0 14 -18 113 -40 219 -37 178 -43 195 -70 221 -36 32 -101 37 -139 11z\"\/><path d=\"M1163 3073 c-36 -7 -73 -59 -73 -102 0 -56 133 -378 171 -413 34 -32 83 -37 129 -13 70 36 67 87 -16 290 -86 209 -89 214 -129 231 -35 14 -42 15 -82 7z\"\/><path d=\"M3689 3066 c-15 -9 -33 -30 -42 -48 -48 -103 -147 -355 -147 -375 0 -98 131 -148 192 -74 13 15 57 108 97 206 80 196 84 226 37 273 -30 30 -99 39 -137 18z\"\/><path d=\"M583 2784 c-38 -19 -67 -74 -58 -113 9 -42 211 -354 242 -373 16 -10 45 -18 66 -18 51 0 107 52 107 100 0 39 -1 41 -124 234 -80 126 -108 162 -133 173 -41 17 -61 16 -100 -3z\"\/><path d=\"M4250 2784 c-14 -9 -74 -91 -133 -183 -95 -150 -107 -173 -107 -213 0 -55 33 -94 87 -104 67 -13 90 8 211 198 130 202 137 225 78 284 -27 27 -42 34 -72 34 -22 0 -50 -8 -64 -16z\"\/><path d=\"M2275 2693 c-553 -48 -1095 -270 -1585 -649 -135 -104 -459 -423 -483 -476 -23 -49 -22 -139 2 -186 73 -142 361 -457 571 -626 285 -228 642 -407 990 -497 242 -63 336 -73 660 -74 310 0 370 5 595 52 535 111 1045 392 1455 803 122 121 250 273 275 326 19 41 19 137 0 174 -41 79 -309 363 -465 492 -447 370 -946 591 -1479 653 -113 14 -422 18 -536 8z m395 -428 c171 -34 330 -124 456 -258 112 -119 167 -219 211 -378 27 -96 24 -300 -5 -401 -72 -255 -236 -447 -474 -557 -132 -62 -201 -76 -368 -76 -167 0 -236 14 -368 76 -213 98 -373 271 -451 485 -162 444 86 934 547 1084 153 49 292 57 452 25z m909 -232 c222 -123 408 -262 593 -441 76 -74 138 -139 138 -144 0 -16 -233 -242 -330 -319 -155 -123 -309 -223 -461 -299 l-81 -41 32 46 c18 26 49 83 70 128 143 306 141 649 -6 957 -25 52 -61 116 -79 142 l-34 47 45 -20 c26 -10 76 -36 113 -56z m-2057 25 c-40 -58 -105 -190 -130 -263 -110 -324 -59 -707 132 -981 25 -35 42 -64 37 -64 -19 0 -241 119 -326 174 -188 122 -406 314 -532 468 l-58 71 108 103 c185 178 428 349 672 473 66 33 121 60 123 61 2 0 -10 -19 -26 -42z\"\/><path d=\"M2375 1950 c-198 -44 -350 -190 -395 -379 -18 -76 -8 -221 19 -290 114 -284 457 -406 731 -260 98 52 188 154 231 260 27 69 37 214 19 290 -38 163 -166 304 -326 360 -67 23 -215 33 -279 19z\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/i> <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hrnww.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/page-views-count\/ajax-loader-2x.gif\" border=0 \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kabul, Afghanistan (HRNW): Human Rights Watch has called on the Taliban authorities to immediately release six NGO workers and two United Nations employees detained in Afghanistan, warning that the arrests are increasing pressure on humanitarian and civil-society operations at a time when millions of Afghans remain dependent on international assistance. According to Human Rights Watch,&#8230;<\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"pvc_stats_25116\" class=\"pvc_stats total_only  \" data-element-id=\"25116\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.0\" viewBox=\"0 0 502 315\" preserveAspectRatio=\"xMidYMid meet\"><g transform=\"translate(0,332) scale(0.1,-0.1)\" fill=\"\" stroke=\"none\"><path d=\"M2394 3279 l-29 -30 -3 -207 c-2 -182 0 -211 15 -242 39 -76 157 -76 196 0 15 31 17 60 15 243 l-3 209 -33 29 c-26 23 -41 29 -80 29 -41 0 -53 -5 -78 -31z\"\/><path d=\"M3085 3251 c-45 -19 -58 -50 -96 -229 -47 -217 -49 -260 -13 -295 52 -53 146 -42 177 20 16 31 87 366 87 410 0 70 -86 122 -155 94z\"\/><path d=\"M1751 3234 c-13 -9 -29 -31 -37 -50 -12 -29 -10 -49 21 -204 19 -94 39 -189 45 -210 14 -50 54 -80 110 -80 34 0 48 6 76 34 21 21 34 44 34 59 0 14 -18 113 -40 219 -37 178 -43 195 -70 221 -36 32 -101 37 -139 11z\"\/><path d=\"M1163 3073 c-36 -7 -73 -59 -73 -102 0 -56 133 -378 171 -413 34 -32 83 -37 129 -13 70 36 67 87 -16 290 -86 209 -89 214 -129 231 -35 14 -42 15 -82 7z\"\/><path d=\"M3689 3066 c-15 -9 -33 -30 -42 -48 -48 -103 -147 -355 -147 -375 0 -98 131 -148 192 -74 13 15 57 108 97 206 80 196 84 226 37 273 -30 30 -99 39 -137 18z\"\/><path d=\"M583 2784 c-38 -19 -67 -74 -58 -113 9 -42 211 -354 242 -373 16 -10 45 -18 66 -18 51 0 107 52 107 100 0 39 -1 41 -124 234 -80 126 -108 162 -133 173 -41 17 -61 16 -100 -3z\"\/><path d=\"M4250 2784 c-14 -9 -74 -91 -133 -183 -95 -150 -107 -173 -107 -213 0 -55 33 -94 87 -104 67 -13 90 8 211 198 130 202 137 225 78 284 -27 27 -42 34 -72 34 -22 0 -50 -8 -64 -16z\"\/><path d=\"M2275 2693 c-553 -48 -1095 -270 -1585 -649 -135 -104 -459 -423 -483 -476 -23 -49 -22 -139 2 -186 73 -142 361 -457 571 -626 285 -228 642 -407 990 -497 242 -63 336 -73 660 -74 310 0 370 5 595 52 535 111 1045 392 1455 803 122 121 250 273 275 326 19 41 19 137 0 174 -41 79 -309 363 -465 492 -447 370 -946 591 -1479 653 -113 14 -422 18 -536 8z m395 -428 c171 -34 330 -124 456 -258 112 -119 167 -219 211 -378 27 -96 24 -300 -5 -401 -72 -255 -236 -447 -474 -557 -132 -62 -201 -76 -368 -76 -167 0 -236 14 -368 76 -213 98 -373 271 -451 485 -162 444 86 934 547 1084 153 49 292 57 452 25z m909 -232 c222 -123 408 -262 593 -441 76 -74 138 -139 138 -144 0 -16 -233 -242 -330 -319 -155 -123 -309 -223 -461 -299 l-81 -41 32 46 c18 26 49 83 70 128 143 306 141 649 -6 957 -25 52 -61 116 -79 142 l-34 47 45 -20 c26 -10 76 -36 113 -56z m-2057 25 c-40 -58 -105 -190 -130 -263 -110 -324 -59 -707 132 -981 25 -35 42 -64 37 -64 -19 0 -241 119 -326 174 -188 122 -406 314 -532 468 l-58 71 108 103 c185 178 428 349 672 473 66 33 121 60 123 61 2 0 -10 -19 -26 -42z\"\/><path d=\"M2375 1950 c-198 -44 -350 -190 -395 -379 -18 -76 -8 -221 19 -290 114 -284 457 -406 731 -260 98 52 188 154 231 260 27 69 37 214 19 290 -38 163 -166 304 -326 360 -67 23 -215 33 -279 19z\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/i> <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hrnww.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/page-views-count\/ajax-loader-2x.gif\" border=0 \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":25117,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25116","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ngos"],"a3_pvc":{"activated":true,"total_views":2,"today_views":2},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hrnww.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25116","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hrnww.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hrnww.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hrnww.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hrnww.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=25116"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.hrnww.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25116\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25119,"href":"https:\/\/www.hrnww.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25116\/revisions\/25119"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hrnww.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/25117"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hrnww.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=25116"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hrnww.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=25116"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hrnww.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=25116"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}