Since the Islamist Taliban regained power in Afghanistan, former policewomen have lived in constant fear and threat, according to a report released by a rights body on Thursday.

The 26-page report released by the U.S.-based Human Rights Watch with the title, “Double Betrayal: Abuses against Afghan Policewomen, Past and Present,’’ documents threats from Taliban authorities since the Islamist Taliban took over in August 2021.

This has forced many former policewomen to go into hiding out of fear of being identified.

But there were threats before the Taliban took power, the report says.

HRW reported systematic sexual violence against policewomen during the previous Western-backed government.

“Afghan policewomen have been doubly betrayed, first by the former Afghan government, which allowed serious sexual abuse against them to continue unchecked. They have also been betrayed by countries that ignored that abuse and have been unwilling to resettle or grant asylum to women seeking protection,’’ said Fereshta Abbasi, Afghanistan researcher at HRW.

Women reportedly described receiving threatening phone calls or having Islamists violently search their homes.

They also reported increasing violence within their families because relatives were opposed to their work as policewomen.

Under the Taliban, policewomen are only deployed in a few areas, such as at checkpoints or in women’s prisons, HRW said.

Many former officers have fled to other parts of the country or neighbouring countries.

Only a small number have been taken in by Western countries that promoted and financed the recruitment and training of Afghan policewomen after 2002.

(dpa/NAN)