Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) Alliance dedicated the International Women’s Day 2019 to Afzal Kohistani, rights activist who was gunned down in Abbottabad on March 6.
In 2012, Kohistani’s sisters and subsequently his brothers were targeted in Jirga-ordered ‘honour’ killings.
EVAWG said that despite multiple requests for protection over death threats, Kohistani was ignored, a press release said.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXO3fgs94Gs
“He consistently reported numerous threats and beseeched the State for protection. But the State failed him, in violation of its Constitutional obligation and duty to protect all its citizens.”
The statement added that everyone including the provincial government, law-enforcement agencies, political leaders, judiciary, civil society and the media failed him.
EVAWG said that ‘vilification, strangulation and shrinking space’ for human rights activists and NGOs was part of the ‘same deliberate strategy and overall design’.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtvdK_cWS9A
The release added that rights defenders and NGOs were acceptable as long as they provide basic health services, education, water, sanitation, micro-credit, employment, technical training, research reports, and so on.
“But we are totally unacceptable if we dare to raise awareness on human rights.”
EVAWG also penned 5 demands:
Afzal Kohistani was shot dead in Abbottabad on Wednesday by unidentified armed men near Gami Adda on the Children’s Hospital Road.
Three passers-by were also injured and were taken to the Ayub Medical Complex Hospital. They were identified as Kaleemullah, Said Karam, and Sabir.
Who was Afzal Kohistani? Follow the link to know: Govt Failed To Protect Kohistan Video Scandal’s Whistleblower Afzal Kohistani
In 2012, Kohistani’s sisters and subsequently his brothers were targeted in Jirga-ordered ‘honour’ killings.
EVAWG said that despite multiple requests for protection over death threats, Kohistani was ignored, a press release said.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXO3fgs94Gs
“He consistently reported numerous threats and beseeched the State for protection. But the State failed him, in violation of its Constitutional obligation and duty to protect all its citizens.”
The statement added that everyone including the provincial government, law-enforcement agencies, political leaders, judiciary, civil society and the media failed him.
EVAWG said that ‘vilification, strangulation and shrinking space’ for human rights activists and NGOs was part of the ‘same deliberate strategy and overall design’.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtvdK_cWS9A
The release added that rights defenders and NGOs were acceptable as long as they provide basic health services, education, water, sanitation, micro-credit, employment, technical training, research reports, and so on.
“But we are totally unacceptable if we dare to raise awareness on human rights.”
EVAWG also penned 5 demands:
- Effective state protection for human rights defenders (HRDs), particularly women’s, girls’, TGIs’ rights activists
- State acknowledgement – at both national and international fora – of the legitimate role of HRDs, especially the right of public protest
- Legislation for a safe, secure and conducive environment for HRDs, activists and civil society organizations
- An end to impunity for Jirgas and Panchayats, and LEAs’ extra-judicial actions
- An end to arbitrary detention, use of force, torture, enforced disappearance; threats, intimidation, falsification and tampering of evidence and witnesses; legal aid for seeking relief and remedies for violations against HRDs.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-kE2jL_Wg8
Afzal Kohistani was shot dead in Abbottabad on Wednesday by unidentified armed men near Gami Adda on the Children’s Hospital Road.
Three passers-by were also injured and were taken to the Ayub Medical Complex Hospital. They were identified as Kaleemullah, Said Karam, and Sabir.
Who was Afzal Kohistani? Follow the link to know: Govt Failed To Protect Kohistan Video Scandal’s Whistleblower Afzal Kohistani