Another case of Taliban violence against the LGBTQ+ community in Afghanistan. A medical university student was stopped by authorities at a checkpoint last August and never came back alive: the Taliban tortured him for three days, until he died.
Then the last terrible act of cruelty, with the sending of the video of the violence committed against the victim to his family and partner.
Hamed Sabori he was 22 years old, loved to read novels and dreamed of becoming a doctor. Instead, he died murdered by the blind rage of Islamic fundamentalism.
“Hamed’s family ran away and I went into hiding. We were like any other couple in love in the world, but the Taliban treat us like criminals. They killed the love of my life and I don’t know how I’m going to live without him…” he said. Subway “Bahar” (invented name), Sabori’s partner – I was arrested by the Taliban in August 2021 and again in May and June of this year. I was raped, beaten and tortured with electric shocks. Six people tortured me for three days with a machine gun.”
In that circumstance, Bahar would have managed to escape from prison by bribing a prison guard. But the Taliban would never stop hunting him. Also in the statement released to the British tabloid, the man spoke of the video that the Taliban authorities sent him after Sabouri’s murder: a clip lasting a few seconds, containing the chilling warning “you will be the next Hamed”.
According to reports from some activist organizations for the rights of the LGBTQ community – such as “Behesht Collective” (which Bahar is a part of) and “Roshaniya” – the increase in violence has led many people in the LGBTQ+ community to try to leave the country or go into hiding.
Among them, as confirmed by the The Guardianthere would also be the next of kin of the victim: Haseeb Sabori, Hamed’s brother, reportedly announced that the family had sold the two houses in Afghanistan and fled to Turkey. “We fled Afghanistan because of the threats and the assassination of Hamed – explained the victim’s brother – the Taliban came to our house every day to harass and threaten us”.
The sad end of Hamed Sabouri caught the attention of the Afghan writer and journalist with an American passport Nemat Sadatwho stated in a Facebook post: “The death of Hamed Sabouri is further proof that the Taliban will not stop to eliminate all gays in Afghanistan. Blame it on the inability of the UK and other governments. Westerners to provide Asylum protection for LGBTQ+ people at risk.”
Sadat himself has in recent months started a fundraising campaign for “Roshaniya” on the “GoFundMe” platform, in aid of LGBTQ + Afghan refugees: “Mullah Gul Rahim, the Taliban judge, has promised that gays can expect to be stoned or taken down walls 10 to 15 feet high”, reads between the lines describing the crowdfunding initiative.
Source: Fan Page IT
Ashley Root is an experienced business journalist and author at The Nation View. With a background in economics and finance, she has a deep understanding of the inner workings of the business world and is able to provide insightful and informative analysis on a wide range of topics.
