Family members of Raees Zazai, a native resident of Paktia, who tried to approach President Ashraf Ghani at the end of his speech at a gathering in Herat city on Thursday, said that Zazai was beaten up and mistreated by the President’s guards.

His family, who are living in Paktia, said Zazai reached different relevant government offices for addressing his problems but his attempts ended with no result; therefore, he tried to reach the President in order address his call.

Zazai tried to approach President Ghani at an event on Lapis Lazuli Corridor in Herat city on Thursday. A social media footage which was made public hours after the event shows President Ghani’s personal guards dragging a civilian into a military vehicle in Herat city – which is believed to be Mr. Zazai.

“You see this video clip. How cruelly they are beating my brother. He has went unconscious three times,” said Jihad Gul Mangalzoi, brother of Zazai.  

Zazai’s family members said their lands have been grabbed a lawmaker and that they referred to many government department over the issue, but no one secured justice for them. 

“We asked Zazai to pass on our message to the President, but now he has been jailed,” said Lal Band, Zazai’s mother. 

Head of Afghanistan Human Rights Organization, Lal Gul Lal, said they denounce this act by Ghani’s guards and that mistreatment against a civilian is in contravention of all human rights laws. 

“This act is obviously against all human rights laws. We ask the President to stay patient against people’s critics and understand them so that people can tell him their complaints,” Lal said. 

The Presidential Palace has not commented on the incident, but Ghani’s deputy spokesman Shahussain Murtazawi has said in a social media post that Ghani heard the man’s complaints.

Murtazawi writes that after hearing Zazai’s complaints, the President said that the man has been subjected to injustice and that now he wants justice.