Brussels, 14/12/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 11 December, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton “strongly” condemned the killing the previous day of Nadia Seddiqi, the women's rights activist who had taken the post of head of the women's affairs department in Laghman province a few months ago following the death of her predecessor by a bomb. “The high representative is profoundly concerned at the frequent acts of aggression against human rights defenders in Afghanistan”, Ashton's spokesperson said in a press release. “Women human rights defenders who have worked fearlessly for gender equality and the empowerment of women often find themselves the targets of brutal attacks, while serious violations of women's rights remain widespread”, he added.
The spokesperson said that “profound change in the way women are regarded will be needed if Afghanistan is to develop (…) into a state based on respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law”.
Seddiqi was shot dead while on her way to work. This is the third assassination of a provincial official for women's rights since the role was created about ten years ago. (CG/transl.fl)