Steve McCurry has shared his thoughts on the arrest of Sharbat Gula, who appeared on the cover of 1985’s National Geographic and became his most iconic subject - the Afghan Girl. The Associated Press reported that Gula was arrested for possessing a fake Pakistani identity card during a raid at a home in Peshawar.
Within hours, McCurry responded on social media that he would provide legal and financial support for Gula and her family.
McCurry’s portrait of a 12-year old Gula highlighted the plight of refugees fleeing the conflict-torn country of Afghanistan for a brighter future elsewhere. In 2002, McCurry successfully traced Gula to a remote Afghan village with her family and provided funding to cover their medical costs and a dream pilgrimage to Mecca.
/Federal Investigation Agency
Now in Pakistan, Gula could face a fine of up to 14 years in jail for holding a fake Pakistani ID card. “I object to this action by the authorities in the strongest possible terms,” says McCurry. “She has suffered throughout her entire life, and her arrest is an egregious violation of her human rights. ”
With war in Afghanistan still ongoing, many continue to seek shelter in Pakistan; however, the country has started to aggressively move forward with plans to repatriate the 3 million Afghans living as refugees.
Two hours ago, I got word from a friend in Peshawar, Pakistan, that Sharbat Gula has been arrested. We are doing everything we can to get the facts by contacting our colleagues and friends in the area. I am committed to doing anything and everything possible to provide legal and financial support for her and her family. I object to this action by the authorities in the strongest possible terms. She has suffered throughout her entire life, and her arrest is an egregious violation of her human rights. - Steve McCurry
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The response from McCurry’s comment on Facebook has been met with mixed reception. Some people note that Gula was residing in a country without any legal documentation and should be reprimanded, while others suspect that it was the officials who supplied her with a fake ID that led to this predicament.
Gula's current situation is a far cry from McCurry's interview with NPR in March 2016. At the time he said her life was relatively peaceful. “She got married, had these children, living a traditional Pashtun life, in a village. It's been, thankfully, a bit uneventful. ”
. digitalrev.com2016-10-27 03:00