Protests and Gatherings in Afghanistan in Response to the Murder and Burning of Farakhunde

Hundreds of people in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, protested on Monday morning, March 3, against the murder and burning of a young woman named Farakhunde in the city center. Dozens also gathered in Herat and Takhar. Protesters in Afghanistan and abroad have called for the trial and punishment of those responsible for Farakhunde's murder. According to the Associated Press, Alima Alima, a women's rights activist in Afghanistan, said during the protests: "We demand justice for Farakhunde, we demand justice for the women of Afghanistan. All injustices against women in Afghanistan are unacceptable." The newspaper Hasht-e-Subh, published in Afghanistan, also released images of dozens of protesters in Herat province demanding justice for Farakhunde and her killers. Several human rights and cultural activists in Kabul planted a tree at the site where Farakhunde was burned. The funeral for the 27-year-old woman was held on Sunday, March 2. At this ceremony, Afghan women, contrary to usual customs, carried Farakhunde's coffin on their shoulders. Mullah Ayaz Niazi, an Afghan cleric who justified and deemed Farakhunde's murder natural, also attended the ceremony to pray over her body, but attendees prevented this and expelled Ayaz Niazi. Farakhunde was beaten to death on Thursday, March 19, near the Shah-e-Doshmashira Mosque in central Kabul by a large group of men who accused her of burning the Quran, and then she was set on fire. Some even drove over Farakhunde's body with cars. Videos released show that some police forces were present during the incident but did nothing more than observe. The murder and burning of Farakhunde on the accusation of burning the Quran occurred while Mohammad Zahir, the chief criminal prosecutor of Afghanistan, announced at her funeral that the young woman did not burn the Quran and was "completely innocent." In recent days, more than 10 people accused of assaulting the 27-year-old woman have been arrested, and several police officers have been suspended for negligence in their duties. Ashraf Ghani, the President of Afghanistan, condemned the murder and burning of Farakhunde and instructed the Ministry of Interior to investigate how this incident occurred. The President of Afghanistan emphasized before his trip to the United States that Farakhunde's murder was a "heinous act." Mr. Ghani stated that Afghanistan's security forces have faced a "fundamental issue" due to their complete focus on fighting the Taliban. In this context, the President of Afghanistan issued an order to investigate the burning of a woman in Kabul.