Mid-journey

Name: Fereshta KohistaniOccupation: Women's Rights ActivistDate of Birth: 1991Date of Assassination: December 24, 2020Place of Assassination: Kapisa ProvincePerson/Group Responsible for Assassination: Unknown Life and Education:Fereshta Kohistani was born in 1991 in Kapisa and graduated from a university in Delhi, India. She was a prominent women's rights activist. On December 24, 2020, due to her activism, she was assassinated by unidentified gunmen in Kapisa. Her brother, Shahram Kohistani, who was accompanying her at the time, was also killed in the attack. Her assassination sparked widespread reactions and protests among human rights activists and the international community, drawing attention to the deteriorating situation of human rights defenders in Afghanistan. Notably, just a day before her assassination, Mohammad Yousuf Rasheed, a civil society activist and head of the Free and Fair Election Forum of Afghanistan (FEFA), was also assassinated. Kohistani is survived by a son.Activities:Fereshta Kohistani was one of Afghanistan’s leading women's rights activists. She also worked as an advisor to the Executive Office. Her efforts were primarily focused on advancing women's and girls' rights, with her vision of a society free from violence and discrimination. Kohistani headed the Kapisa Women’s Movement and was a senior and active member of the Kapisa Youth Organization. She conducted extensive awareness campaigns and educational programs for women, especially in the underprivileged areas of Kapisa. One of her key initiatives was advocating for improving the rights of women in deprived and remote regions. She actively fought against gender-based violence, forced marriages, and gender discrimination. Kohistani used social media and other media platforms to convey her message to the public and participated in various human rights campaigns, becoming a prominent voice for women standing up against injustice.  To read more please also see the PDF.  Profile (PDF)

 Name: Abdulmanan ArghandOccupation: JournalistDate of Birth: 1983Date of Assassination: April 25, 2018Place of Assassination: Kandahar ProvincePerson/Group Responsible for Assassination: Unknown Armed Assailants Life and Education:Abdulmanan Arghand was born in 1983 in Pashmul village, Zharai district, Kandahar province, into a family that highly valued education. He completed his high school education at Zahir Shahi High School and continued his studies in journalism at Mirwais Nika private University in Kandahar city. According to Pajhwok News Agency, Arghand worked as a journalist in Kandahar for over a decade. On the day of his assassination, while on his way to work, he was attacked and killed by armed men in Kandahar city’s 9th district. Notably, Arghand's family, stating they had no personal enmity with anyone, held the Taliban responsible for his murder. Abdulmanan Arghand is survived by one daughter and two sons.Activities:According to BBC, Nai-Supporting Open Media in Afghanistan- reported that Mr. Arghand had worked as a journalist for five years with Kabul News and several local media outlets in Kandahar. Beyond his media work, Arghand was actively involved in civil society, cultural initiatives, and education. His family noted that he was always seeking to create opportunities for women and his colleagues. One of Arghand's significant contributions was his reporting on the activities of the Departments of Women's Affairs, which, according to a colleague, spurred healthy competition among the departments and increased efforts to create opportunities for women.  To read more please also see the PDF.  Profile (PDF)

Name: Nematullah ZaheerOccupation: JournalistDate of Birth: 1978Date of Assassination: November 4, 2016 Place of Assassination: Helmand ProvincePerson/Group Responsible for Assassination: The Taliban Life and Education:In a special program aired by Ariana Television Network to honor Nematullah Zaheer, it was mentioned that he was born in Sayedabad District of Maidan Wardak Province. He began his primary education in 1986 at Sayedabad District High School and graduated in 1998. Zaheer continued his studies and in 1999 enrolled in the Faculty of Journalism at Kabul University, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in 2003.According to Ariana Television, Zaheer and a group of journalists traveled to the Sur Gudar (Sorkh-Gozar) area of Lashkar Gah’s second district—a region recently cleared of Taliban forces—to cover the operations of Afghan troops. Tragically, his vehicle struck a landmine, leading to his assassination. Zaheer is survived by three sons and one daughter.Activities:Nematullah Zaheer was recognized as a skilled and dedicated journalist, as reported by Ariana News. His first professional experiences began in his early teens with involvement in civil activities. He later joined the journalism field, tirelessly working to document the intense conflict in Helmand and the struggles of its residents. His commitment to delivering news was so strong that he chose Helmand—one of the most dangerous provinces—as his primary reporting area. Zaheer was regarded as one of Afghanistan’s talented and diligent journalists, working with various media outlets for over a decade.  To read more please also see the PDF.  Profile (PDF)

 Name: ZakiraOccupation: Women's Rights ActivistDate of Birth: 1977 Date of Assassination: May 3, 2010Place of Assassination: Qalat city, Zabul provincePerson/Group Responsible for Assassination: Taliban Life and Education:Zakira, originally from Baghlan province, moved to Zabul in 2008. She was an activist for women's right to education and had made significant contributions in this field. Zakira completed her high school education in Kabul and, ten years later, began studying Pashto literature at the Sayed Jamaluddin Afghan Teacher Training College, where she earned her degree. According to the 8am newspaper, on May 3, 2010, Zakira was beheaded by unknown individuals in the "Kharwarian" area of Qalat city, and her body was found by the police the next morning beside the road.Activities:Zakira was an enlightened woman who fought for women's right to education. According to Basira, a former employee of the Zabul Directorate of Women's Affairs, Zakira even had to struggle with her husband and sons to send her daughter Zakiya to school. Zakiya, Zakira's daughter, says her mother solely worked for the education of women. She established 33 literacy courses for women and actively participated in educational awareness programs. Her last job was with the Independent Election Commission, where she worked in the voter registration card distribution department as a public awareness employee in Zabul.  To read more please also see the PDF.  Profile (PDF)

 Name: Nematullah RawanOccupation: Journalist and Press Officer, Ministry of FinanceDate of Birth: 1981Date of Assassination: May 6, 2021Place of Assassination: Kandahar ProvincePerson/Group Responsible for Assassination: Unknown GroupLife and Education:Nematullah Rawan, originally from Shahjoy district in Zabul province, was born in 1981. He was actively involved in civil society activities for many years, frequently engaging with the youth of Zabul and Kandahar in various programs. Due to his deep interest in journalism and a desire to shed light on the situation in Kandahar, he pursued a career in this field. Rawan had traveled to Kandahar city to obtain his educational documents when he was assassinated by unknown assailants in the city’s 14th district. He was 28 years old at the time he was assassinated. He is survived by one child.Activities:Rawan worked for four years as a presenter and journalist at Tolo, Tolo News, and Lemar TV. Shortly before his assassination, he was appointed as the Press Officer for the Ministry of Finance. He was deeply involved in civil society activities at both local and national levels. He also participated in numerous conferences, seminars, and programs focused on human rights and civil issues.  To read more please also see the PDF.  Profile (PDF)

Name: Aliyas DayeeOccupation: Journalist and Civil ActivistDate of Birth: November 8, 1984Date of Assassination: November 12, 2020Place of Assassination: Helmand ProvincePerson/Group Responsible for Assassination: Unknown Group Life and Education:Aliyas Dayee, a dedicated journalist who studied in this field and was recognized by his peers as a "Fearless Journalist” was born in Helmand province. Alongside his work with media outlets such as Radio Azadi, Dayee was also involved in civil activism. He gained a strong reputation both in the media and among the public. On November 12, 2020, while on his way to work, a magnetic bomb attached to his car detonated, resulting in his assassination. He is survived by a daughter.Activities:Beyond his journalism work at Radio Azadi and other local media, Aliyas Dayee was committed to civil activism, particularly in encouraging youth, especially girls, to pursue education, sports, and media careers. He worked closely with young people, helping them participate in local and national conferences and workshops.  To read more please also see the PDF.  Profile (PDF)

 Name: Mohammad Yousuf RasheedOccupation: Head of FEFADate of Birth: 1974Date of Assassination: December 23, 2020Place of Assassination: KabulPerson/Group Responsible for Assassination: UnknownLife and Education:According to Hasht-e Subh Daily, Mohammad Yousuf Rasheed, a co-founder of FEFA (Free and Fair Election Forum of Afghanistan) and a representative of civil society organizations in Afghanistan, was assassinated at the age of 45. Born in the Kalangar area of Pul-e Alam, Logar Province, Mr. Rasheed completed his secondary education at Habibia High School and earned his bachelor's degree from the Faculty of Law and Political Science at Kabul University. He had considerable experience in research, program management, and capacity building. Additionally, he is survived by three daughters and two sons.Activities:Hasht-e Subh reports that in 2003, Mr. Rasheed worked as a senior researcher during the drafting of Afghanistan's constitution. In 2004, he, along with other civil society activists, founded FEFA. He led the programs and training department until 2008. After leaving FEFA, he joined the National Democratic Institute (NDI), where he held senior managerial roles for over five years, including four years as the head of electoral programs. In 2014, Mr. Rasheed rejoined FEFA as the Executive Director and remained in this role until he was assassinated. Since 2016, he also served as a representative of Afghan civil society organizations on the Selection Committee for Electoral Commissions.  To read more please also see the PDF.  Profile (PDF)

 Name: Yaqub SharafatOccupation: Journalist and Civil ActivistDate of Birth: January 9, 1996Date of Assassination: October 17, 2016Place of Assassination: Zabul ProvinceIndividual/Group Responsible for the Assassination: Unknown GroupLife and Education:Yaqub Sharafat was born in Zabul Province into a deeply religious family. His father was strongly opposed to the media and civil activities and was also strongly against girls attending school. Sharafat graduated from Sheikh Mati Baba High School but could not attend university due to severe economic hardships, thus failing to achieve his dream of studying journalism. However, he actively participated in short-term journalism courses and legal awareness and cultural programs.Activities:Sharafat conducted his media activities openly but had to keep his human rights work secret due to various reasons, including security concerns. As a result, his contributions to civil society in Zabul remained unrecognized and unappreciated. He was often reprimanded for publishing news related to women's rights violations and was even forced to remove some of his reports. Sharafat faced numerous challenges, including economic difficulties and threats from the Taliban and unknown individuals. He was also a prominent writer and had worked for local radio stations in Zabul. The following highlights some of Yaqub Sharafat's activities:Official journalist for Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA)Led campaigns encouraging girls to write articles and participate in radio and media programsCollaborated with the Zabul Directorate of Women's Affairs to organize legal awareness programs; successfully implemented over 27 such programs from 2013 to the end of 2015Traveled to Atghar, Shinkay, and Suri districts in Zabul to promote girls' education  To read more please also see the PDF.  Profile (PDF)

Name: Kulsoom Malala Maiwand Date of Birth: 1994, Jalalabad Date of Assassination: November 30, 2020 Place of Assassination: Jalalabad Person/Group Responsible for Assassination: ISIS Group Life and Education Kulsoom Malala Maiwand was born in the village of Sardar Khil, Pachiragam district, Nangarhar province. According to BBC Persian, Malala was born in 1994 during the peak of the Afghan civil war and was displaced to Pakistan with her family. Along with nearly one and a half million Afghan citizens, her family sought refuge in the tribal areas of Pakistan. In 2004, three years after the fall of the Taliban, they returned to Nangarhar. There, Malala completed her schooling and entered university. She was on track to receive her bachelor's degree in management and policy the following year. Her father has mentioned that she had big dreams for the future, but terrorists did not give her the opportunity to complete her education. Activities The initiatives of Belqis Mazlumyar, Malala's mother, who led a women's and migrants' association, inspired young Malala to pursue similar work. Following the tragic assassination of her mother—who, according to her family, became a target due to her activism—Malala continued her mother's legacy with dedication. She not only taught literacy courses organized by her mother's association but also actively engaged in advocacy for women who were victims of domestic violence. Malala was particularly committed to promoting girls' education in an environment where, due to low literacy rates and limited awareness among families, such education was not readily accessible. According to her brother, Malala was also involved in social and cultural activities at her school during her studies. Later, Malala embarked on a career in television. Her family noted that in their conservative community, where women's work and public visibility were not widely accepted, Malala's television career, which…