World News in Brief: Rising West Bank violence, dialogue critical in Kosovo, free Afghan activist

Seven independent UN experts are calling for the immediate release of Afghan human rights defender Ahmad Fahim Azimi, who has been detained for more than six months. 
Mr. Azimi was imprisoned on 17 October by the de facto authorities along with his colleague Siddiqullah Afghan, who was recently released. 
In addition to being a human rights defender, Mr. Azimi advocates for girls’ education and is the head of the Better Thinking Centre and director of the Digital Citizen Lab in Afghanistan. 
The experts have been communicating with the Afghan authorities regarding this case.  
“We urge the de facto authorities to also release Mr. Azimi without delay. There is no justification for his detention,” they said. 
The experts also expressed concern over the arrests of multiple human rights defenders and education activists in Afghanistan, seemingly for their advocacy for women and girls’ education.
“Access to education is a fundamental right. It is essential that those who strive to expand this right are supported and protected, not persecuted,” they said.
The experts were appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to monitor and report on specific country situations or thematic issues.
They serve in their individual capacity, are not UN staff, are independent of any government or organization and are not compensated for their work.