Mohammad Rahim Peerzada, Afghanistan’s de-facto ambassador to Spain, has been accused of multiple sexual assaults, including an alleged rape involving a drugged victim, prompting Spain to revoke his diplomatic immunity.

Several women from Spain’s Afghan community have come forward with claims that Peerzada exploited his diplomatic position to target them. One woman, identified as Anis, told German newspaper Die Welt that Peerzada met her at an International Women’s Day event in March 2022, promising employment at the Diplomatic Mission. During a subsequent meeting at a shisha bar, she alleges her drink was spiked, leading to a blackout. She awoke to find herself while being raped in a Madrid hotel before being driven to a train station. “I felt weak, my vision blurred—I could barely stay awake,” Anis recounted.

Another woman, using the pseudonym Simin, told Spanish outlet El País that Peerzada invited her to a restaurant and then his apartment under the guise of discussing improving lives of Afghan refugees in Spain. There, she claims he forcibly pushed her onto a bed. “I thought he’d rape me. I was terrified but hid it,” she said, adding that she fled after confronting him.

Madrid’s provincial court initially dismissed investigations in September 2023 due to Peerzada’s diplomatic immunity. However, following formal complaints, Spain’s foreign ministry stripped him of his status, stating: “He no longer represents any official delegation, holds no accreditation here, and retains no immunity.”

The Afghan Embassy in Madrid issued a statement on March 19, 2025, dismissing the allegations as “false rumors” and citing Peerzada’s rebuttal in a German report. The communique emphasized: “All embassy activities strictly comply with laws and regulations, supervised by competent authorities.”… “Accusations against Mr. Peerzada and the embassy are baseless. Claims should be directed to Spanish authorities for legal review, enabling us to respond lawfully“.

The embassy warned it would pursue legal action against those spreading “conspiracies,” reserving the right to “restore its reputation.”
Peerzada, appointed consul in Madrid in February 2021, assumed de facto leadership of the embassy after the Taliban’s 2021 takeover. German police have reportedly opened an inquiry into the claims, while Spanish prosecutors are assessing whether to revive the case following the immunity revocation.