Afghan athlete under police protection in France after denouncing Taliban

RFI

13 September 2024 at 12:09 pm·1-min read

Marzieh Hamidi, a former taekwondo champion for Afghanistan who now lives in France as a refugee, has been placed under police protection after protesting against the Taliban's treatment of women.

Hamidi, 21, used to compete on the Afghan national taekwondo team but was forced to flee when the Taliban returned to power in 2021.

She told RFI she had been flooded with threatening messages since posting a video on social media at the end of August denouncing "gender apartheid" in her homeland.

Filming herself on a Paris street, Hamidi denounced the Taliban's restrictions on women's clothing, education and other basic freedoms, including doing sport.

She invited her followers to use the hashtag #LetUsExist to "be the voice for [those] who are voiceless inside Afghanistan".

Re-shared thousands of times, the post ended up attracting the attention of Afghan media.

The situation escalated when a journalist asked Hamidi her opinion of Afghanistan's popular national cricket team, she told RFI. The men's squad has continued to play with the backing of the Taliban government, while women players have been driven into exile.

Hamidi told the interviewer that she believed the male players were "normalising the Taliban" and did not represent Afghan women. "So for me, they are a terrorist cricket team, not a national cricket team," she said.

The interview appeared on YouTube a few days later and quickly drew a backlash.

Australian Associated Press
Collingwood president Browne stepping down
Collingwood president Jeff Browne has confirmed he won't be seeking re-election as he focuses on his health.
Australian Associated Press
Schools stoush rages on as teachers demand more funding
The teachers' union is calling for a ban on the implementation of a new schooling model until the federal government lifts its share of public school funding.
Australian Associated Press
Ex-Magpie football boss Wright to be next Carlton CEO
AFL powerhouses Carlton are set to announce former Collingwood football boss Graham Wright as their next chief executive officer in a huge coup.
Australian Associated Press
Cops push back on non-core duties citing staff shortage
Police officers in parts of Sydney will send tasks like welfare and truancy checks back to other government agencies, citing an unreasonable workload.
Australian Associated Press
Neo-Nazi facing jail time after performing salute
Neo-Nazi Jacob Hersant is facing jail time after he was found guilty of intentionally performing the Nazi salute.
Australian Associated Press
Finals series added to Supercars in format shake-up
The Supercars champion will be decided in a finals series in 2025, as part of a major refresh of the category with its existing broadcast deal set to expire.
Australian Associated Press
Labor downloads new bill to keep NBN in public hands
A narrower digital divide in Australia will result from the National Broadband Network remaining in public hands, as Labor promises equity for communities.
Australian Associated Press
Labor 'frustrated at every turn' by housing hold-up
The Greens have accused the federal government of merely tinkering around the edges on housing policy, as talks to end a stalemate on the issue continue.
Australian Associated Press
Not child's play: parents' mental health fears for kids
The majority of Australian parents and close family members have concerns about their child's mental health, but many are uncomfortable to speak about it.
Australian Associated Press
Australians return home on Lebanon evacuation flights
More than 200 Australians have touched down in Sydney after fleeing from Lebanon, as federal parliament decries a lack of bipartisanship on the Middle East.
Australian Associated Press
Unis drop in world rankings ahead of student cap
The University of Melbourne came out on top for Australian campuses in global rankings, but most went backwards in the latest standings.
Australian Associated Press
Trump 'called Putin seven times since leaving office'
Bob Woodward writes in his new book "War" that Donald Trump has had up to seven private phone calls with Russian leader Vladimir Putin since leaving office.
Australian Associated Press
Roma kick off Champions League with win over Wolfsburg
AS Roma have opened their women's Champions League campaign with an upset 1-0 victory against two-time champions Wolfsburg.
Australian Associated Press
Albanese apology for 'insensitive' Tourette's comment
The prime minister has made an unreserved apology after making an "unkind and hurtful" jibe in parliament at the expense of people with Tourette's syndrome
Australian Associated Press
Disciplined Australia crush Kiwis to close in on semis
Australia's bowlers have defended 8-148 with ease to beat New Zealand by 60 runs in the Women's T20 World Cup in Sharjah.
Australian Associated Press
Methane emissions may be much worse than thought
Australia may have to overhaul its emissions measuring methods as new data suggests methane pollution from gas and coal projects may have been under-reported.
Australian Associated Press
Tomljanovic falls at first hurdle in Wuhan Open
Ajla Tomljanovic has suffered a comedown from her success in the Hong Kong Open with a first round defeat in Wuhan.
Australian Associated Press
Election hopefuls urged to tackle severe weather threat
Governments should stem the decline in emergency service volunteers as climate change threatens more and increasingly severe natural disasters, a report says.
Australian Associated Press
Regional conflicts on agenda as PM jets to Asia summits
A raging civil war that has displaced millions of people and ongoing territorial disputes will likely be discussed at a summit for Southeast Asian nations.
Australian Associated Press
Palestine protest crackdown 'obscures peaceful reality'
The NSW premier has raised the ire of pro-Palestine groups with his bid to curtail their regular protests over the conflict in the Middle East.

Latest stories