Geneva - (AFP) - The United Nations expressed its deep concern Friday after the Taliban interrupted a press conference in Afghanistan, subjected participants to searches and arrested the organizers of the event.

"We have received very disturbing reports that yesterday afternoon (Thursday) a number of security officials in Kabul interrupted a press conference held by a women's civil society organisation," a spokesman for the UN human rights office, Jeremy Lawrence, told reporters in Geneva.

He added that Zarifa Yaqubi and "four of her male colleagues" were arrested at the event organized by the Afghan Women's Movement for Equality and remain in detention.

"We are concerned about the well-being of these five individuals and have sought information from the authorities regarding their detention," he added.

Citing anonymous sources, Lawrence said the other participants in the event were held for about an hour, subjected to body searches and had their phones searched before being released.

One of the participants confirmed the authenticity of the news, telling AFP that Yacoubi is the organizer of the event, which aims to "launch a new movement for women's rights."

"When the event started, the Taliban told us we couldn't hold it and they asked the present journalists to leave," said Mandigarh, a women's rights activist who did not want her full name to be revealed for safety reasons.

After it was over, she added, the Taliban sent policewomen who "searched our phones and deleted all the photos taken during the event."

"They also insulted and threatened us before allowing us to leave the place one by one," she added.

"When you are not able to organize even a small event to demand basic human rights, you are very disappointed," she said.

For his part, Lawrence stressed that "all Afghans have the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression and opinion without fear of arrest or intimidation."

"We urge the de facto authorities to respect these rights," he added.

He also reminded that Afghanistan is a signatory to the Convention against Torture and called on the Taliban to "respect the rights of all detainees."