The final part of ‘Lost and (Not)Found’ follows the journey of Shahriyar* who fled the Taliban persecution in Afghanistan to Iran, back to Afghanistnan, on to Pakistan and eventually to Germany where he continues to defend and advocate for the rights of LGTBIQ Afghans everywhere.

This episode reflects on and unpacks the story of Shahriyar* so far. Hosts Ryan and Zohra share their insights on the persecution of LGBTIQ Afghans under Taliban rule, Shahriyar’s dire efforts to leave Afghanistan and the role of organisations like ILGA Asia in providing humanitarian assistance.

Part two of ‘Lost and (Not)Found’ continues to follow Shahriyar*, a 21-year-old gay man from Herat, and his journey as he talks about how women and LGBTIQ Afghans are persecuted under the Taliban’s rule and how they are protecting themselves and each other as acts of solidarity in resistance.

Part one of our first episode, Lost and (Not)Found, features Shahriyar (not his real name), a 21-year-old gay man from Herat, who talks about the continuing threats against LGBTIQ+ Afghans under Taliban rule and reflects on the urgency of activism amid heightened persecution.

Salzburg Global Seminar and ILGA Asia are delighted to launch a new audio series amplifying the voices of those who participated in the Global Online Forum on LGBT* and Faith.