Targeted Groups
Individuals who are critical or in opposition of the Taliban (e.g. peaceful protesters) or those going against Taliban’s prescribed way of life
BBC, Afghanistan: Woman protests Taliban's education ban with single word of God, 30 December 2022
“On Sunday 25 December, Adela stood in front of the entrance holding up a board with a particularly powerful word written on it in Arabic - iqra, or 'read'. Muslims believe this was the first word revealed to the Prophet Muhammad by God. […] Initially, Adela refused to go and stood her ground, but the paper board she was holding
gradually caught the attention of the armed guards around her. While clutching the placard, she started engaging a member of the Taliban. "I asked him, 'Can't you read what I have written?'," she said. He said nothing, so Adela went further: "Can't you read the word of God?" "He became angry and threatened me." Her placard was taken away and she was forced to leave after about 15 minutes of her lone demonstration. While she was protesting, her elder sister had been sitting in a taxi taking pictures and recording a video of the protest. "The taxi driver became very scared of the Taliban. He was pleading with my sister to stop filming. Fearing trouble, he asked her to leave the car," Adela said.”
RFE/RL's Radio Azadi, 'Teach Everyone Or No One': Afghan Men Join In Protests Against Taliban's Ban On Women's Education, 29 December 2022
“Afghan women have found a strong supporter as they protest against the Taliban banning women from universities -- men. Hundreds of male professors and students, as well as husbands and fathers, are publicly airing their opposition to the latest restriction imposed by the Taliban against their "sisters. […] Nida Mohammad Nadim, the Taliban's minister of higher education who signed off on the ban on women's education, this week said that the militants were not interested in the "progress and civilization" of the Afghan people and that nothing -- not even a nuclear strike -- would make them change course.”
RFE/RL – Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Herat: Dozens of women and girls protest against ban on women's education, 24 December 2022
“Dozens of Afghan girls and women, mainly students, took to the streets in western Herat on December 24 to protest the Taliban's ban on women’s education. Protesters, divided into small groups, were chanting "education is our right" and gathered in front of the provincial governor's office, a protester told the dpa news agency. The Taliban forces tried to disperse them using water cannons, sticks, and batons, another protester said. The Taliban’s decision to ban girls and women from attending school and university has sparked strong international opposition.”
BBC News, Afghanistan protests: Taliban use water cannon on women opposing university ban, 24 December 2022 “The Taliban have used a water cannon to disperse a group of women protesting against the ban on female students in Afghanistan attending university. Video on social media shows women taking cover in a lane in the city of Herat to escape a stream of water. Dozens of women holding a protest march could be heard shouting slogans including: "Education is our right". In one clip, women could be heard shouting: "The Taliban are cowards." Women have also been banned from working for national and international NGOs, confirmed Abdel Rahman Habib, spokesman for the ministry of economy. He said a letter had been sent to NGOs imposing a ban "until further notice" and offered the reason that women were not following Sharia law with respect to their wearing of the hijab.”
BBC News, Afghanistan: Taliban arrest women protesting against university ban, 22 December 2022
“The Taliban have arrested five women taking part in a protest in the Afghan capital, Kabul, against the ban on women attending universities. Three journalists were also arrested. Protests are also understood to have taken place in the Takhar province. Guards stopped hundreds of women from entering universities on Wednesday - a day after the ban was announced.”
RFE/RL's Radio Azadi, Taliban Violently Disperses Women's Protest Against University Ban, 22 December 2022 “Taliban security forces have used violence and arrested several people as they dispersed a protest by Afghan women against a ruling that bans female students from universities. Afghanistan's Taliban announced the decision to forbid women from universities late on December 20 in a letter from the Islamist group's education ministry to higher education institutions, drawing immediate condemnation from the international community and the United Nations. A group of some 50 women dressed in hijabs, some wearing masks, gathered in the capital, Kabul, on December 22 for a peaceful protest march against the move, chanting slogans against the ban, but were attacked and dispersed by Taliban security forces, participants and witnesses told RFE/RL. The participants intended to gather outside Kabul University, Afghanistan's largest and most prestigious higher education institution, but switched to a different location after a large number of security forces members were deployed there. One of the women who attended the march, Basira, told RFE/RL that security forces beat some of the participants and took them away, while others managed to escape. A number of journalists covering the protest have been reportedly detained, too.”
The Norwegian Country of Origin Information Centre Landinfo, Afghanistan: Departure and return after the Taliban seizure of power, 29 September 2022 [Original translated using google translation tools]
“The situation for certain returned Afghans who have stayed in the West – so-called Westernized – was a topic even before the Taliban took power. UNHCR wrote in their Guidelines of 2018 that they were aware that returnees from Western countries had been exposed to serious reactions, and that some were looked upon with suspicion both from family, local communities and local authorities (UNHCR 2018, pp. 46, 47). Landinfo notes that UNHCR primarily relied on self-reporting. The European Asylum Support Office (EASO) (2020) published the year before the takeover, a response about the situation for Westernized people.There is no precise definition or unified understanding of "Westernized" as a concept. Rather, it is a vague and loose perception of what lies within the term. Often it refers to people who have stayed in Europe or other women's participation in the workforce and freedom of movement, as well as attitudes towards the consumption of alcohol and pork. Some of them have been influenced by western culture and lifestyle. The influence may concern physical characteristics such as clothing, hairstyle, beard length and coverage. Or it could be attitudes and views on, for example In the years following the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001, the Western presence and the Western influence in Afghanistan was strong - until the Taliban again took power 20 years later. Many wore western clothes. The street scene in the big cities was composite; both by women who covered themselves completely, women in burka, men in traditional dress shalwar kameez and men in western clothes. In February 2022, Landinfo had a meeting with a representative of an international organization (digital meeting, February 2022) which claimed that the street scene in Kabul on it the time had not changed significantly. In the cities there were still Afghans who were dressed in western clothing and there were women both with and without the burka. Another one of Landinfo's sources have lived in Kabul since the seizure of power and still do so. He has a very western appearance – has short hair, is clean shaven and walks in a western style suit. When asked directly (conversation in Islamabad, March 2022) he stated that he did not have problems with the Taliban for that reason. There is little relevant experience material about how this is today. There have not been forced returns from Western countries after the takeover and relatively few presumably have returned voluntarily. Landinfo is not aware of reports that Afghans have become exposed to reactions because they appear Westernized or because they have stayed themselves in a western country. At the same time, a number of regulations have been introduced that restrict women's rights and freedom of movement, in addition to a decree that women should be fully covered in the public space. There is no doubt that women who defy the directive to cover up, or people who challenge the Taliban's interpretation of Islam, will be able to get reactions from the de facto authorities. Furthermore, the Taliban have instructed anyone who works for the
authorities to have a beard, not to wear western clothes and to pray at the correct time. Those who do not respect this risk losing their jobs (Greenfield 2022). Landinfo does not have concrete knowledge of how this is done and how the directive is implemented. Afghanistan is a diverse and complex country, which is reflected in the Taliban control. There is a considerable range in attitudes and local variations. There is a reason for that to believe that it also applies in the view of people who are influenced by the west. Eventual reactions will therefore depend on the profile, network and where in the country the person concerned is staying. There is further reason to believe that Afghans who come from abroad must deal with the Taliban's various decrees and regulations in the same way as Afghans in Afghanistan.”
European Union Agency for Asylum, Afghanistan – Targeting of Individuals: Country of Origin Information Report, 16 August 2022
EUAA, Mobility Trends Report: Afghan Nationals in Pakistan, Iran, Turkey and Central Asia, 28 September 2022 "Human Rights Watch stated in June 2022 that Taliban forces in Panjshir province have detained and tortured residents accused of being affiliated with the NRF, contrary to international humanitarian and human rights laws. 38 Instances of mass arrests of suspected NRF members have been recorded by UNAMA, including 40 men and boys in Baghlan province on 16 April, and 22 people in Panjshir province on 31 May 2022."
"On 27 April, a journalist and two civil society activists were convicted of ‘spreading anti-regime propaganda and committing espionage for foreign media outlets’, resulting in prison sentences of one to two years. On 22 July, the Taliban supreme leader issued a decree stating that those who ‘slander’ the government will be viewed as collaborating with the enemy and will be punished."
"In July 2022, Human Rights Watch reported that alleged members and supporters of the ISKP had been summarily executed and forcibly disappeared, such as by covert abduction or imprisonment, by Taliban security forces. The bodies of over 100 men have been discovered in Nangahar and Kunar provinces since the Taliban takeover in August 2021, although the total number of such executions is not known. Bodies of executed ISKP members have been found to be severely disfigured."
HRW, Afghanistan’s Taliban Crack Down on Vloggers, 14 June 2022
“On June 7, Afghan vlogger Ajmal Haqiqi – well known for his YouTube channel and modeling shows – appeared in a very different kind of broadcast. Taliban officials arrested Haqiqi and his three colleagues and released a video showing the men, with bruised faces and clearly under duress, apologizing for encouraging “prostitution” and “insulting verses of the Quran.” On May 28, the four had posted a YouTube video in which they recited Quranic verses in Arabic in a comical tone. Within a week, the Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) had detained them. “We have been promoting Western culture and values, and for this I apologize,” Haqiqi said in his evidently scripted “confession.” As of mid-June, the men remained in custody. No charges have been filed against them, and no lawyers or family members have been able to see them. These arrests are among the latest in the Taliban’s crackdown on free expression. On May 24, Taliban authorities detained Mirza Hassani, director of Radio Sedai Aftab, at a checkpoint in Herat city, accusing him of supporting opposition groups. On May 10, GDI officials detained Khan Mohamad Sayal, a TV journalist, in Urzugan, without explanation. By mid-June, neither man had been released. A Kandahar journalist who had been detained for four days in April for broadcasting music told me he had been accused of working with foreigners. His “confession” was also forced: “They were beating and telling me that I had to admit it,” he said. The Taliban have used various measures to silence media in Afghanistan, ranging from establishing restrictive guidelines to sending intelligence officials to meet with media staff. Forcing media workers to confess to dubious crimes sends a message to others to adhere to the Taliban’s rules – a tactic also used against women protesters who were detained and compelled to confess. A media worker in Herat recently told me, “Freedom of speech has died in Afghanistan.” For journalists, social media activists, and others publicly resisting the Taliban’s onerous restrictions, his words seem all too true.”
Gandhara, Video 'Confession' Of Popular Afghan YouTuber Prompts Outrage, 9 June 2022
“Afghan social media influencer Ajmal Haqiqi gained popularity for his entertaining videos on YouTube. On June 7, the fashion model appeared on another widely viewed video. But this time, he was handcuffed, wearing a prison uniform, and sporting bruises on his face as he addressed the camera. In the 2-minute video issued by the Taliban,
YouTube clips. “We are ready to accept any punishment,” said Haqiqi, standing next to three of his colleagues. He
added that his popular YouTube channel promotes “moral corruption” and is supported by the ousted Western- backed Afghan government. The video uploaded by the Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence was
accompanied by a tweet saying: “No one is allowed to insult Koranic verses or sayings of the Prophet Muhammad.”
Amnesty International, Afghanistan: The Taliban must immediately release YouTuber Ajmal Haqiqi and his colleagues, 8 June 2022
“Responding to the arbitrary arrest of YouTuber Ajmal Haqiqi and his colleagues yesterday on charges of “insulting Islamic sacred values” after they posted a video in which they allegedly used Quranic verses in a humorous manner, Samira Hamidi, Amnesty International’s South Asia Campaigner, said: “Arbitrarily detaining YouTuber Haqiqi and his colleagues and coercing them into apologizing because the Taliban de-facto authorities were offended by the video is a blatant attack on the right to freedom of expression. The Taliban must immediately and unconditionally release the YouTubers and end their continued censorship of those who wish to freely express their ideas.” “Restrictions to the right to freedom of expression must be clearly provided by law and be strictly necessary and proportionate to a legitimate aim. International human rights law does not permit restrictions of freedom of expression simply on the grounds it has the potential to offend or insult nor for the protection of
religious beliefs or the religious sensibilities of their adherents. This incident is a classic example of how the Taliban is creating a climate of fear in Afghanistan by using arbitrary arrests and coercion to force people into silence.”
“Since assuming power, the Taliban have been using intimidation, harassment, and violence on anyone who has expressed support for human rights or modern values, especially human rights defenders, women activists, journalists, and members of academia among others. As the de facto authority, the Taliban must abide by international human rights law and respect everyone’s right to freedom of expression without discrimination.” Background Ajmal Haqiqi is a model and social media influencer based in Kabul, Afghanistan. Last week, a video was posted on Haqiqi’s YouTube channel in which he along with three other colleagues allegedly used Quranic
verses in a humorous manner. On 5 June 2022, Haqiqi posted another video apologizing for the previous video. On 7 June 2022, the Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence arrested Ajmal Haqiqi and three of his colleagues on charges of “insulting Islamic sacred values”. Later in the day, a video ‘confession’ of Haqiqi was released where he again apologized.”
AVA Press, The Islamic Emirate Arrests Afghan YouTuber in Charges of Blasphemy, 8 June 2022
“The Islamic Emirate’s General Directorate of Intelligence has arrested Ajmal Haqiqi, a YouTuber from Afghanistan, and three of his colleagues on charges of “insulting Islamic sacred values.” Four of the young activists are handcuffed in a video released on the Islamic Emirate’s intelligence agency’s Twitter handle, with Ajmal
Haqiqi confessing to “promoting indecency and lewdness, and insulting Quran verses.” One of Haqiqi’s colleagues, Gholam Sakhi, who was once addicted to drugs and claimed to have a “mental condition,” recited verses from the Qur’an in a humorous voice in a video posted by Haqiqi’s YouTube channel, where Sakhi sings and dances. Haqiqi laughs in that widely shared video as Sakhi mimics recitations in a humorous voice. Sakhi’s conversational style is noted for being funny and amusing… No one is allowed to insult or ridicule the verses of the Qur’an, the Prophet’s hadiths, or Islamic sanctities under the rule of the Islamic system,” the Islamic Emirate intelligence agency wrote on Twitter. Those who have recently insulted and disrespected the Qur’an’s holy verses; “They are arrested.””
Gandhara, Taliban Accused of Forced Evictions As Fighting Intensifies In Northern Afghanistan, 7 June 2022
“The Taliban captured Baghlan and Panjshir in early September, weeks after toppling the Western-backed Afghan government and seizing power in Kabul. Since April, deadly clashes have erupted between resistance forces and the Taliban in both provinces. Last month, heavy clashes broke out in parts of Panjshir, a traditional hotbed of ethnic Tajik resistance to the Pashtun-dominated Taliban. Residents alleged that some civilians accused of having links with the NRF were executed. Others were beaten and tortured in Taliban custody, they said."
"Meanwhile, locals told Radio Azadi that the Taliban detained more than 100 civilians in the Paryan district of Panjshir in the past week. Their whereabouts are unknown. Earlier, the Taliban said it had detained an unspecified
Haqiqi apologized to Afghanistan’s new rulers for “insulting” the Koran, Islam’s holy book, in one of his recent
number of people accused of having links with the NRF. Locals have also alleged that Taliban fighters have recently beheaded several NRF fighters who were captured, a claim the Taliban has rejected. The ongoing fighting has forced thousands of people to flee their homes in Panjshir."
DW, Taliban faces threats from 'Islamic State', UN Says, 3 June 2022
“On the security front, insurgent groups the National Resistance Front, and the newly established Afghan Freedom Front have stepped up their operations recently, staging attacks in multiple provinces. "Taliban forces may be hard pressed to counter several insurgencies simultaneously," the report's authors said. As a consequence, Taliban forces are taking a harsher approach to groups and communities they perceive as a threat.”
Gandhara, Gandhara Briefing: Taliban Rift, Afghan Musicians, People Smuggling, 3 June 2022
"I write about the hundreds of Afghan musicians who have fled Taliban persecution to neighboring Pakistan, where they now face arrest and deportation. Since seizing power, the militant group has banned music and publicly beaten and humiliated musicians in Afghanistan."
The New Humanitarian, For this Afghan woman, taking the wheel is a protest, 19 April 2022
“When the Taliban seized power across Afghanistan last August, Aaila’s first reaction was to stage an act of quiet protest. As Taliban fighters swept into Bamiyan, the ancient city in central Afghanistan, the 37-year-old got behind the wheel of her white Toyota and drove around town. “I wanted to tell the Taliban that I would continue to drive even if I am a woman,” she recounted months later, still driving the same car. Aaila is a pseudonym requested to protect her and her family’s safety. Aaila was one of the first women to drive a car in Bamiyan, and she intends to hold on to that right – no matter who is running the country.”
US DOS, 2021 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Afghanistan, 12 April 2022
“During the year antigovernment forces, including the Taliban, carried out numerous deadly attacks against religious leaders, particularly those who spoke out against the Taliban. Many progovernment Islamic scholars were killed in attacks for which no group claimed responsibility. On January 24, unidentified gunmen shot and killed Maulvi Abdul Raqeeb, a religious scholar, imam, and teacher. On March 3, Kabul University professor and religious scholar Faiz Mohammad Fayez was shot and killed on his way to morning prayers. On March 31, the ulema council chief in northern Takhar Province, Maulvi Abdul Samad Mohammad, was killed in a bomb blast when an explosive attached to his vehicle detonated. […] On July 22, the Taliban executed a popular comedian from Kandahar, Nazar Mohammad, after beating him, according to HRW. After a video of two men slapping and abusing him appeared in social media, the Taliban admitted that two of their fighters had killed him. A former police chief of Kandahar and a member of the High Council on the National Reconciliation on August 4 stated that the Taliban had killed as many as 900 individuals in Kandahar Province in the preceding six weeks. On August 24, Michelle Bachelet, UN high commissioner for human rights, stated during the 31st Special Session of the Human Rights Council that her office received credible reports of serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights abuses in many areas under effective Taliban control. […] Following August 15, the Taliban used force against protesters and journalists and suppressed political discussion and dissent. Journalists reported a chilling effect on free speech and press in the country as a result of the Taliban’s policies, particularly following media reports of torture of two local journalists covering women’s protests after the Taliban takeover. The Taliban announced restrictive media
regulations in September and additional guidelines in November, in line with the Taliban’s strict interpretation of sharia. […] The August Taliban takeover prompted numerous, small-scale protests by women demanding equal rights, participation in government, and access to education and employment. Taliban fighters suppressed several women’s protests by force.
In the weeks immediately following the August 15 Taliban takeover, several peaceful protests were staged in cities throughout the country, primarily by women activists, without interference by the Taliban. Further protests were increasingly met with resistance and violence by the Taliban, however, and as of December the Taliban suppressed protests against the group and its policies.
On September 5, a march by dozens of women towards the presidential palace calling for the right to work was broken up by the Taliban with tear gas and pepper spray. In a similar incident three days later in Kabul, the Taliban reportedly used whips and batons to suppress a group of women demonstrating for equal rights. On September 8, the Taliban issued instructions banning unauthorized assemblies, motivating civil society, particularly women, to shift their efforts behind closed doors and to online platforms. The UN Human Rights Commission stated on September 10 that peaceful protests in many parts of the country were met with an increasingly violent response by the Taliban after their takeover. The Taliban frequently used force to suppress protests, including firing live
ammunition overhead to disperse crowds.”
ACLED, Regional Overview: South Asia and Afghanistan 26th February - 4th March 2022, 10 March 2022
“The Taliban also reportedly tortured residents in Khost province under detention after they raised the tricolor Afghanistan national flag, which has become a symbol of anti-Taliban protests since the group seized governance (Baghi TV, 1 March 2022).”
The Atlantic, These Afghan Women are being Hunted by the Taliban, 10 March 2022
“On Monday, Talibs searched houses near hers, checking the identity cards of occupants against names in a computer database seized from the old Ministry of Defense. Fatima believed that her house would be next—surely one of her neighbors would have informed on her—and she fled with her documents to a friend’s place. On Tuesday, Talibs entered Fatima’s family’s house without permission. They questioned her parents, who denied that Fatima had been a soldier; apparently the database left some uncertainty about her name. The Talibs riffled through the family’s belongings, handling women’s clothes and other possessions in a way that showed no respect, leaving the house in chaos. They confiscated Fatima’s Afghan flag and threatened to come back. The Taliban searches are conducted with absolute power and casual brutality. Najibeh, who has two sons, 9 and 3, was hiding in a rented house when we spoke, while Talibs slept in a nearby mosque as they prepared to search the neighborhood. She described how they beat people with rifles and sticks, destroy any passports they find—part of the purpose is to keep unreliable Afghans from leaving the country—and loot money, gold, and jewelry. Noori sent me pictures of the bodies of several military women, murdered a few days ago and left on piles of rubble or trash in alleyways. One of them had been tied with rope by the wrists and legs. Another former soldier named Mahdieh, who is 22, fled her home to hide with relatives. When the Talibs came to her family’s house, they took away her
10-year-old brother. That was a week ago, and he still hasn’t been returned.”
Gandhara, Afghan-Canadian Aid Worker Reappears after Weeks in Taliban Detention, 9 March 2022
“Nadima Noor, a female Afghan-Canadian aid worker who runs a humanitarian organization in Kabul, vanished last month. Noor’s family in Canada, who spoke to eyewitnesses, said a group of Taliban fighters entered her office, forced her into a car, and whisked her away in broad daylight. For weeks, Noor’s family had no idea where she was or why she was taken. Then on March 9, she was released from Taliban detention. No charges were brought against her. “She was forcefully picked up without any proof of wrongdoing and without any reason,” her brother Dastaan Noor told RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi. “Nadima was detained for 24 days without any legal representation,” he added. “After an investigation was conducted, she was found innocent of any wrongdoing.” Since the Taliban’s return to power in August, dozens of rights activists, journalists, and academics have been arbitrarily detained or have disappeared. Some have been released. The whereabouts of others remain unclear.“She was very emotional and very upset about why she was held without any reason,” said Dastaan Noor. “It’s unfortunate that the citizens of Afghanistan -- be it women or men -- are still picked up without any reason, detained, and then released."
ANI, Another Afghan university professor goes missing who criticized Taliban, 6 March 2022
“An Afghan university professor and political analyst, Sayed Baqir Mohsini who had criticized the Taliban has gone missing since Friday afternoon. According to Mohsini’s family, he and a relative were on their way to participate in a TV program in the capital city of Kabul on Friday afternoon when they disappeared, reported Tolo News. His
relatives said that they have contacted several security departments but have yet to get a response.”
Freedom House, Freedom in the World 2022 - Afghanistan, 28 February 2022
“Is there freedom of assembly? 1 / 4
The Taliban suppress demonstrations and use violence to disperse them when they do occur. Unapproved protests are banned. Female protesters have resorted to live-streaming small-scale indoor demonstrations since the Taliban assumed power.
In a September 2021 briefing, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights reported that the Taliban used whips, batons, and live ammunition to disperse protesters. On September 7, two protesters were killed by Taliban in Herat, while Taliban physically attacked female protesters holding an event in Kabul that same day.
Score Change: The score declined from 2 to 1 because the Taliban have violently dispersed protests since taking power.
[...]
Perceived opponents were excluded from state employment and humanitarian assistance.”
Ariana News, Eight polio workers killed in north Afghanistan, 24 February 2022
“Eight polio workers were killed in four separate attacks in Afghanistan’s northern provinces of Kunduz and Takhar
on Thursday, a UN official has said.
In Kunduz, four members of house-to-house polio teams were killed in provincial capital, and two vaccinators and a social mobiliser were killed in its Imam Sahib district. One member of the vaccination team was killed in Taloqan district of Takhar province.
These are the first attacks on polio workers since nationwide campaigns resumed in November last year.
“We are appalled by the brutality of these killings, across four separate locations. This is not the first time health workers have come under attack. We witnessed the killings of nine innocent polio workers during national polio vaccination campaigns in 2021,” UN Deputy Secretary-General Ramiz Alakbarov said on Twitter.
“This senseless violence must stop immediately, and those responsible must be investigated and brought to justice. This is a violation of international humanitarian law,” he said.”
Tolo News, Family claims former MoD officer detained by Islamic Emirate, 14 February 2022
“A family in Kabul claims that their son, who was a former officer of the Ministry of Defense, has been detained by the forces of the Islamic Emirate. According to Javad Jafari's family, two nights ago some individuals claiming to be members of the Islamic Emirate, entered their house at 8 pm without a court order and forcibly arrested him and took him to an unknown location. “They drew guns on us, they did not ask anyone, they just said 'we are from the Islamic Emirate.' They beat Javad and dragged him out of the house,” said Feriba, Javad’s wife. “We are very scared, we ask the Islamic Emirate to free my father safe and alive,” said Ali Sajad, Javad’s son.”
AVA Press, Gunmen raid university professor’s house in Kabul, beat his wife and daughter, 13 February 2022 “[…] a university professor in , said armed attackers pretending to be the ruling government forces invaded his house and beat his wife and daughter.
“He wrote on his page Saturday night that a group of gunmen with “Taliban-issued ” entered his home for inspection, beating his family members. “I experienced a sad and humiliating incident today,” Nikouei wrote. My wife and daughter were severely beaten, my and that of my family are in the worst condition. My was severely injured.”
“He criticized the continuing unrest in Kabul, adding that there is no order in the city and no one is accountable. “It’s as if we’re stuck in the middle of nowhere among predatory wolves,” he added. “The citizens may be torn apart, looted, and removed. This is the fate of an Afghan man who is doomed to live.”
“Mr. Nikouei emphasized that he was not in contact with any and that it was his and his wife’s duty to educate. “The Ministry of Interior has not yet responded to the ruling government.
“With the fall of the previous government, there have been numerous reports of entering homes. The authorities promised to prevent such incidents, but so far, this commitment has not been fulfilled.”
Bangkok Post, Afghan Women Defy Taliban, 9 February 2022
“[...] Heather Barr of Human Rights Watch [...] ‘There are a lot of very experienced women activists who have been
working in Afghanistan for many years... but almost all of them left after August 15.’
‘(The Taliban) don't tolerate dissent. They have beaten other protesters, they have beaten journalists who cover the protests, very brutally. They've gone and looked for protesters and protest organisers afterwards,’ she adds. Barr believes it is ‘almost certain’ those involved with this new resistance will experience harm.”
Humanitarian Response (Afghanistan) United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), Situation of human rights in Afghanistan, and technical assistance achievements in the field of human rights - Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, 8 February 2022
“Civil society actors, including human rights defenders, journalists and media workers, as well as staff of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, continue to be increasingly targeted and face threats, intimidation and harassment. Several media outlets have stopped their operations due to lack of funds, fear of repercussions and lack of access to information from the de facto authorities. Human rights defenders and media workers remain concerned about the political and security situation and keep low profiles, mostly exercising self- censorship.”
United Nations Human Rights (Office of the High Commissioner), Press briefing notes on Afghanistan, 8 February 2022
“Nearly three weeks after their disappearance, there is still no news about the whereabouts and well-being of four women activists and their relatives who were detained or abducted in Kabul in connection with the recent women’s rights protests. [...] We are gravely concerned for the safety of the disappeared women and their family members. We continue to press the de facto authorities for information on these cases, and for an effective, transparent investigation. We stress the need to ensure their physical and mental integrity and call for their immediate release […]”
Insider, The Taliban faces questions about missing women activists as they seek access to $9 billion in frozen assets, 26 January 2022
“On January 16, a cluster of Afghan women marched near Kabul University to demanded the right to return to work and continue their education. Images of the protest were widely publicized, and footage shows Taliban fighters pointing their firearms at the women and calling them "puppets of the West." Three days later, one of the attendees, a 25-year-old journalist and YouTuber named Tamana Zaryab Paryani, put out a frantic video saying the Taliban were at the door of the apartment she shared with her three sisters. "Help! Please, the Taliban have come to my house, my sisters are at home," Paryani said in the recording, which was posted on Aamaj News. The four Paryani sisters – including the youngest, who is just 13 – have not been heard from since. Another woman who
attended the march, Parwana Ibrahimkhel, is also missing.”
Feminist Newswire, Afghan Women Risk Lives to Protest Taliban Brutality and Harsh Restrictions, 24 January 2022 “Taliban forces pepper sprayed a group of women’s rights protesters in Kabul—one of many violent acts waged against Afghans since the collapse of the government in August 2021. [...] In response to the desperate state of affairs in the region, Afghan women activists gathered in front of Kabul University on Sunday, Jan. 16 demanding the right to work and receive an education. The demonstrators also decried the fatal shooting of Zainab Abdullahi at a Taliban checkpoint and the disappearance of Herat women’s prison manager Alia Azizi—both of whom are Hazaras, a minority ethnic group that has been targeted by the Taliban—as well as the alleged torturing of women protesters in Mazar-e-Sharif, the fourth largest city in Afghanistan. The protesters chanted “equality and justice” and carried banners that read “women’s rights, human rights.” The protest was soon ended by the Taliban fighters who harassed and ultimately pepper sprayed the women protesters.”
Khaama Press, We have rights to suppress dissidents and imprison protestors, 23 January 2022
“Deputy Minister of Culture and Information and spokesman of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Zabiullah
Mujahid said that the Taliban have the right to suppress the dissidents of the system and arrest protestors.
Speaking with AFP, Zabiullah Mujahid said protestors and dissidents trigger chaos and that no one has the right to intrude on the tranquility of cities. It comes after two women activists-Tamana Zaryab Paryani and Parwana Ibrahimkhel-were reportedly detained but the Taliban have denied the women being arrested. UNAMA has expressed concern over the disappearance of the women and has asked the Taliban to disclose the whereabouts of the women. On Sunday, January 23, 2022, a number of women took to the streets in the provincial capital of the northern Balkh province and protested against the detention of women activists across Afghanistan. The protestors said that the Taliban have imposed a “difficult situation” on Afghan women that have laid off thousands of women in the country.”