Pashtuns demonstrate in front of UN office in Geneva against crackdown on PTM leaders

The protest was held during the 55th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

The demonstration was organised by PTM Europe and joined by many Afghan Pashtuns.

Fazal Ur Rehman Afridi, a member of PTM Europe, told ANI, “We are organizing a protest and demonstration in front of the United Nations Human Rights Council to denounce the systematic use of torture by Pakistan to stifle our freedom of expression and our right to assembly.”

He added, “During the protest, speakers condemned the torture of PTM leader Manzoor Ahmed Pashteen, the arbitrary detention of Noor Ullah Tareen, who has been languishing in jail for the last four months, and Idris Khattak, who has been in jail for the last few years.”

Afridi also emphasized that these human rights violations are a matter of grave concern for defenders of human rights and urged the international community, particularly the United Nations, to take notice.

The demonstrators asked the United Nations to intervene to stop the systematic torture against human rights defenders, journalists, and PTM activists of Pashtun ethnic minority, including Gilaman Wazir, Eid ur Rehman Wazir, Zakim Wazir, and Zahid Madakhel.