Tamana Zaryab Paryani (Persian: تمنا زریاب پریانی; born 1997) is an Afghan journalist and women right's activist known for her protests against Taliban rule in Afghanistan.^[1] She is widely recognised as a symbol of the women's struggle in Afghanistan. In December 2022, Tamana was named as one of BBC's 100 Women. She is a member of an Afghan women's rights activist group called Seekers of Justice.^[2] She presently lives in Germany after fleeing from Afghanistan in August 2022.

Biography

Tamana was born in 1997 and has four sisters. When the North American troops were controlling the territory of Afghanistan, she graduated in journalism. Tamana also ran as a candidate for the Afghan National Assembly.^[3]

In 2018, Tamana founded the Tamana Cultural Social Organization and in 2021 created the movement of liberated women. She organized demonstrations against Taliban rule and became an activist for women's rights and against the new dictatorship regime. She also became a member of the group of women activists called Seekers of Justice. They organized a protest on 16 January 2022 in Kabul.^[4] In 19 January, Tamanawas detained at her apartment in Kabul, where she was abused, tortured, and interrogated for three weeks along with her three younger sisters. She was able to record her reactions to the arrest and share them online. The video went viral, drawing attention to the disappearance of female activists. Tamani was charged by the Taliban of breaking their new laws, specifically for publicly burning a burqa.^[5]

Despite Taliban banning her from leaving the country, Tamani along with her sisters entered Pakistan from the Spin Boldak border on August 15, 2022, and reached Germany where she presently lives.^[6]

Recognition

In 2021, Tamana was included in the 100 Women list by BBC.^[7]

References