Gay Afghan stabbed in Taliban attack left feeling ‘hopeless’
The Afghan-American activist, Nemat Sadat, has said LGBTQ people in Afghanistan feel as if their allies have turned their back on them.
Words: Alastair James; pictures: Pexels
A gay Afghan, who also identifies as non-binary, has said they have been left “hopeless” after they were attacked by members of the Taliban in the capital Kabul last week.
The person, who only wanted to be named Sara (their first name) says they initially thought the attack, which left them with multiple knife injuries, was a mugging.
However, they’ve said that the attackers wouldn’t take their phone or money and “wanted to kill”.
“I’m really hopeless”
The 23-year-old has told The Metro that the attackers shouted at them “Shame on you, it is our time to finish people like you,” before they passed out, waking up later in hospital.
Among the 18 injuries Sara was left with were gashes to their legs, stomach, and back. Sara added: “I’m really hopeless”.
Thankfully, Sara has had some help from Nemat Sadat, a gay Afghan-American activist, who has been helping LGBTQ Afghans flee the country following the Taliban’s takeover towards the end of 2021.
He told Metro that LGBTQ people in Afghanistan feel “defeated”, and that “they can’t do anything because even their allies have abandoned them and turned their back.”
After working along for six months Nemat has set up an organisation called Roshaniya to help get people out of Afghanistan.
It’s another horrifying report of the situation on the ground in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of Allied troops from the Middle-Eastern country last August.
60 Afghans detailed their experiences to the Human Rights Watch and OutRight Action International, which included people being attacked, abused, raped, or threatened by the Taliban and even members of their family and friends.
Last September, another account emerged of a man who was beaten and raped by the Taliban for attempting to flee.
In July, speaking to the German newspaper the Bild, Taliban judge Gul Rahim said: “For homosexuals, there can only be two punishments: either stoning or he must stand behind a wall that will fall down on him. The wall must be 2.5 to 3 metres high.”
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