“We face execution. Why is no one helping us?”
Kabul, Afghanistan – 7 May 2025
The Taliban have captured, jailed and likely tortured two Afghan LGBTs, lesbian Maryam Ravish and trans woman Maeve Pieescu. They were arrested on 20 March 2025, as they tried to flee the country.
As yet uncorroborated information received by the Afghan LGBT+ group, Roshaniya, says they are believed to have been tortured to obtain the names of other LGBT+ Afghans and details about Roshaniya’s operations within Afghanistan.
Maeve’s legal name is Abdul Ghafoor Sabery. She is being held at the 40 Intelligence Directorate Prison of the Taliban, which is a notorious interrogation jail where inmates are tortured three times a day and only get to eat one nutritionally inadequate meal daily.
The prison conditions are dire: dirty drinking water; the cells are damp and so overcrowded that prisoners must take turns lying down to sleep.
https://8am.media/eng/narration-on-situation-of-prisoners-at-40-and-90-intelligence-directorate-prisons-of-taliban/
The Taliban have shaved the head of trans woman, Maeve, and forced her to grow a beard to conform with their heterosexual patriarchal gender norms. She is also being forced to read and recite the Qu’ran for long periods every day.
The current location of Maryam is unknown. She may be detained in the women’s prison at Pul e-Charkhi but this is unconfirmed.
Both women are expected to face trial and sentencing soon.
Nemat Sadat, CEO of Roshaniya LGBT, said:
“The Taliban are charging Maryam with the ‘crime” of being a lesbian, and Maeve faces three charges—human trafficking, being gay and trans and apostasy (rejecting Islam). These charges could result in many years of imprisonment, possibly the amputation of a limb or even execution. Maeve is at very high risk of receiving a death sentence. We appeal to governments and international human rights groups to put pressure on the Taliban to release and deport them to a Western country,” he said.
Maryam, 19, and Maeve, 23, were set to escape Kabul on a Mahan Airlines flight to Iran with Mariam’s same-gender partner, Parwen Hussaini, aged 20, on 20 March 2025, with the aid of Roshaniya, the Afghan LGBT+ network. When Maryam and Maeve went to board the plane, they were detained by the Taliban’s intelligence unit who searched their phones and discovered LGBT+ content.
Parwen got on the flight but is now stranded in Iran, with her visa due to expire in a month, and the risk that she’ll be deported back to Afghanistan and face a possible death sentence.
Nemat Sadat, added:
“We appeal to governments and international human rights groups to help. Their lives are in danger. The Taliban may well seek to make an example of Maeve and Maryam – and Parwen if she is sent back to Kabul. Roshaniya LGBT is the face of what a peaceful and pluralistic Afghanistan looks like. That’s why I can’t understand why we aren’t receiving the support we need to get our heroes—Maeve and Maryam—released from prison, and to assist Parwen to get to an LGBT+ friendly country where she can permanently resettle.”
“Maeve Alcina Pieescu’s life needs to be spared. At a time when transgender people are under attack everywhere, her strength and resolve should inspire everyone. She showed the meaning of true friendship by risking her own freedom and life to help her lesbian friend, Maryam, escape Afghanistan. And then—after she was captured and interrogated—she stared at the Islamic zealots in the face and proudly told them that she refuses to be a Muslim and doesn’t believe in Islam. That’s the next level of courage that the rest of humanity can learn from. Maeve, Maryam and Parwen are a beacon of hope in the darkness that is present-day Afghanistan. They give me hope for the future and make me proud as a leader of the LGBT+ Afghan community,” said Sadat.
Parwen Hussaini, a Program Associate of Roshaniya and Maryam’s lesbian partner, is now in Iran – but without the love of her life. Parwen and Maryam planned to be the first Afghan lesbian couple to marry in a European city.
Parwen Hussiani has provided this statement:
“I am trapped in Iran at the moment. I only have a temporary visa. I don’t know what to do when the visa runs out. I’m desperate. I fear that I may be rounded up and deported back to Afghanistan when my visa expires in early June. The Taliban will kill me. I appeal to international LGBT+ and human rights organisations to intervene and work for the release of my partner, Maryam. I would be heartbroken, desolate and despairing if anything bad happened to her or to my friend Maeve. Time is ticking away. I don’t understand why big LGBT+ and human rights organisations are not helping.”
“I am a freethinker and don’t adhere to any religion. There should be no compulsion in religion and people should not be forced to accept a belief system that doesn’t resonate with them. What I know is that being LGBT+ is not a crime. I’m driven by love and passion, and this is who I am. I was born this way and I will never hide myself or live a lie. I want to live happily after being reunited with my love, Maryam, and my beloved friend, Maeve, who is the bravest person I know,” she said.
Susan Battaglia, the sister of Maeve, who now lives in Michigan USA, said:
“We are desperate for help from governments and humanitarians around the world. Maeve’s life is in serious danger. The Taliban are accusing Maeve with human trafficking, being trans and gay and apostasy (rejection of Islam)—all of these charges potentially carry the death penalty under the laws of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. If people don’t help soon, I fear she is going to be executed.”
The Peter Tatchell Foundation in London is, so far, the sole organisation that has actively worked with Roshaniya to publicise their plight and press for their release. In the past few weeks, The Peter Tatchell Foundation has raised £3,008.20 GBP (about $4,000 USD) to support Roshaniya’s efforts to relocate and resettle LGBT+ Afghan activists to a safe haven.
Some news coverage of this story:
The Independent: https://www.the-independent.com/asia/south-asia/taliban-arrests-lgbtq-activists-ravish-afghanistan-kabul-b2722520.html
Attitude: https://www.attitude.co.uk/news/the-taliban-arrest-and-imprison-lgbtq-activists-in-afghanistan-482009/
Daily Mail: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14582899/lesbian-trans-afghan-taliban-stoned-death.html
DNA Magazine: https://www.dnamagazine.com.au/afghan-lgbtqia-activists-arrested-could-be-stoned-to-death/
PinkNews: https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/04/09/afghanistan-maryam-maeve-tortured-daily/
Tetu: https://tetu.com/2025/04/23/afghanistan-droits-lgbt-maeve-maryam-militantes-arretees-kaboul-risquent-peine-de-mort/