Farshta Kuhistani, Afghan Women’s Rights Activist, Assassinated

The assassination of women’s rights activists and journalists continues in Afghanistan. In continuation of these targeted killings, Afghan women’s rights activist Farshta Kuhistani has been assassinated. She had previously informed Afghan authorities about the possibility of her assassination.

On Thursday, December 4 (December 24), Tolo News television network reported the assassination of Farshta Kuhistani, citing an Afghan security source.

This women’s rights activist was killed along with her brother in a shooting by unidentified armed men.

Afghanistan’s Interior Ministry has confirmed the assassination of Farshta Kuhistani but says her brother was wounded in the attackers’ shooting.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for this terrorist act.

Afghan media had previously reported death threats against this women’s rights activist before her assassination.

Farshta Kuhistani herself complained on her Facebook page on December 13 about the lack of cooperation from Afghan security institutions in securing her life and asked Afghanistan’s Vice President to take action in this regard.

Farshta Kuhistani wrote in her Facebook post: “I have repeatedly requested from the Interior Ministry, from the Minister himself, from the head of crime prevention, from the head of criminal investigations, from the head of national security that I am under severe threats, please pay attention, but they ignored me.”

In continuation of Ms. Kuhistani’s post: “I once again urge the officials to take my issue seriously, otherwise any bad consequences and my blood are on the necks of those who, despite knowing how much I am under threat and security problems, were negligent… Now that the Interior Ministry and national security have been indifferent, I urge Mr. Saleh and other country leaders to pay attention.”