Purple Saturdays Movement Protests: “Hold Putin Accountable for Supporting the Taliban”

Sent to Zan TV

Amid the wave of reactions to Russia’s decision to recognize the Taliban regime, the “Purple Saturdays” movement has denounced Moscow’s action as “a clear alliance with gender apartheid” and “a serious threat to global peace.”

Members of the movement, who burned a photo of Russian President Vladimir Putin, emphasized that the Kremlin’s decision equates to legitimizing the systematic violation of women’s rights, the oppression of minorities, and support for a system rooted in political and religious violence in Afghanistan.

The movement’s statement reads, “This move turns Taliban-controlled Afghanistan into a regional and global ticking time bomb and forms part of a broader project to spread terrorism and extremism from Afghan soil. Russia’s claim that the Taliban are fighting terrorism is nothing but a baseless attempt to justify this support. In this context, Russia’s authoritarian government led by Putin must be held seriously accountable.”

Purple Saturdays described Russia’s recent decision as an open act of hostility toward the people of Afghanistan and called on the United Nations to invoke the “Uniting for Peace” resolution and begin proceedings to consider suspending Russia’s membership in the international body.

At the end of the statement, the movement called on all feminist activists and movements around the world, especially within Russia, not to remain silent and to stand in solidarity with the women of Afghanistan.