Sent to Zan TV Coinciding with August 15, the Women’s Movement Towards Freedom has said that this day marks “the darkest days in Afghanistan’s modern history and the beginning of darkness, repression, fear, and widespread human rights violations,” a day after which fear, discrimination, and injustice have overshadowed the fate of millions of Afghans. The movement emphasized that the Taliban, by imposing gender apartheid, have deprived women of the right to education, work, travel, art, sports, and participation in society, turning Afghanistan into “the only country in the world” where girls above sixth grade are not allowed to continue their education. According to the movement, ethnic minorities, particularly Hazaras and followers of the Shia faith, have been targeted by deadly attacks, forced displacements, land seizures, and systematic discrimination, with dozens of attacks on their educational, religious, and cultural centers left uninvestigated and unanswered. The Women’s Movement Towards Freedom says the Taliban, by completely closing the path to dialogue and participation, and through widespread poverty, crippling taxes, and social restrictions, have turned people’s lives into “an endless hell.” The movement has called for an immediate change in global policy towards Afghanistan, effective pressure on the Taliban, the creation of an inclusive political process, an international investigation into crimes against minorities, practical support for human rights defenders and journalists, and the denial of any international recognition to the Taliban. The movement stressed, “Afghan women want justice, not pity; they want the right to live and to be educated, not empty promises. The world must not forget that behind every closed door stands a girl who has the right to breathe. This is the cry of the women of a nation.”

Photo: MOHD RASFAN / AFP Reporters Without Borders (RSF), in a statement, has condemned the arbitrary arrest of journalists and media workers in Kabul by the Taliban and has called for their immediate release and an end to the group’s pressure on the media. In the statement, the organization said that over the past 17 days, at least four journalists and media workers have been arrested in Kabul by the Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence and the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. Referring to the arrest of journalists including Abuzar Sarem Sarepuli, head of TAWANA News Agency and the Federation of Afghanistan Media, RSF stated that the Taliban detained him on charges of “conducting journalism training courses for women,” “receiving foreign funding,” and “sending confidential reports to media considered enemies of Islam,” and later released a video of his “forced confession” in which he is accused of “espionage” and “moral corruption.” Also, Bashir Hatef, a freelance journalist for Zhwandoon TV, and Shakib Nazari, a freelance journalist for the Japanese media outlet i24 News, were arrested by the Taliban and taken to an unknown location. RSF described these arrests and the broadcast of forced confessions as part of the Taliban’s targeted effort to “eradicate independent journalism in Afghanistan” and stressed that extracting forced confessions is a blatant violation of the right to a fair trial and of press freedom. Célia Mercier, head of the organization’s South Asia desk, said, “This repressive method of the Taliban must be stopped immediately. We call for the immediate and unconditional release of all detained journalists and the return of their confiscated equipment.” She also called on the international community not to remain silent in the face of this repression and to take concrete action to defend press freedom in Afghanistan.

Sent to Zan TV The Afghanistan Women’s Political Participation Network, on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the Taliban regime’s return to power, in a statement described this day as a “black day” in the country’s history, saying that the past four years have brought the people of Afghanistan nothing but “oppression, fear, poverty, forced displacement, killing, imprisonment, torture, rape, humiliation, and injustice.” The statement reads, “This is the day when the international community, with indifference, handed over the fate of 36 million citizens of Afghanistan to a terrorist group. The darkness of ignorance and extremism cast its shadow over the country, shattered hopes, and imposed a future full of suffering on the people.” The network says that in these four years, the Taliban have systematically removed women from social, political, and educational life, and by issuing misogynistic decrees, have imposed an open gender apartheid on the country. The Afghanistan Women’s Political Participation Network accused the international community of a “shameful compromise” with the Taliban, stating, “In these four years, the international community not only failed to stand with the women and people of Afghanistan, but by attempting to normalize relations and engage politically with the Taliban, once again sacrificed the innocent people of Afghanistan for its political interests.” The network has called for the Taliban’s crimes to be recognized as “gender apartheid” and for the group’s leaders to be subjected to sanctions and international prosecution. It has also urged the international community not to recognize or cooperate with the Taliban, and for the United Nations and international organizations to stand with the people of Afghanistan, not with human rights violators. Members of the network stressed, “We, the women of Afghanistan, have never forgotten those who gave their lives for freedom. We will stand and fight until we achieve freedom, justice, and equality.”

Photo: © UNFPA via media monitors The United Nations Human Settlements Programme says that in Afghanistan there are no educational, employment, or social and economic growth opportunities for women and girls who return from migration. Stephanie Luz, the program’s director in Afghanistan, said at a press conference in Geneva, “I have a daughter, so when I look at those teenage girls, I know they are returning to a country where there is no education for girls above the age of 12, where they do not know where to go, and where there are clearly no opportunities for social or economic growth.” She added that among the returnees, there are families headed by women who must return to a society where women even need the accompaniment of a “mahram” or male guardian to leave the house or visit a doctor. According to Luz, Afghanistan is now facing an unprecedented returnee crisis. Since September 2023, more than three million people have returned to the country, about 60 percent of whom are under the age of 18. In just one week, from July 25 to August 1, more than 85,000 people were deported from Iran and more than 3,000 from Pakistan. She stressed that what is urgently needed is a coordinated reintegration program in the areas where returnees settle. Without such a process, they will become trapped in a cycle of dependency and face serious risks. The UN resettlement program director said that rebuilding lives requires more than emergency aid. In her view, people need adequate housing, property rights, access to clean water, healthcare services, and livelihood opportunities to live with dignity. Luz noted that Afghanistan was already grappling with serious challenges. Nearly half of the population required humanitarian assistance, and the human rights situation, especially for women and girls, was deteriorating. She also pointed out that Afghanistan is among the ten countries most vulnerable to climate change, and that drought, flooding, and heat threaten rural livelihoods and even life in urban areas. This UN official called for sustained financial support from the international community and stressed that returnees should not be seen as an extra burden, but rather as people who bring a set of skills and can contribute to their communities.

Photo: AFJC Radio Nasim’s broadcasts in the provinces of Daikundi and Bamyan have been suspended following the arrest of the station’s editor-in-chief and two journalists by the Taliban’s intelligence agency. On Wednesday (August 6), Sultan Ali Jawadi, editor-in-chief of Radio Nasim, along with two of the station’s journalists, Saifullah Rezai and Mojtaba Qasemi, were detained by the Taliban’s intelligence directorate in Daikundi. Reza Wahidi, owner of Radio Nasim, told the media that the reason for the arrest was the publication of news related to the recent report by António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, regarding the presence of ISIS in Afghanistan. According to him, the head of Taliban intelligence in Daikundi questioned why this report was broadcast by Radio Nasim. According to Wahidi, the three individuals were held until around 11 PM last night and were released after providing a guarantee. However, they are expected to appear again at the Taliban intelligence office today (Thursday), and their final fate is still unknown. It has been reported that during the arrest, the Taliban also confiscated Radio Nasim’s broadcasting computer. Sultan Ali Jawadi, the station’s editor-in-chief, had previously been arrested in October 2023 and sentenced to one year in prison on charges of “propaganda against the Taliban regime.” He was released from prison in March that year after serving approximately seven months. Radio Nasim had also been shut down by the Taliban in mid-2023 and was only allowed to resume operations five months later, in March of the same year. This comes as the International Federation of Journalists recently reported that at least seven journalists and media workers were detained by the Taliban in Afghanistan during the month of July alone. The organization, expressing concern over the growing number of press freedom violations, has called on the Taliban to immediately release all imprisoned journalists and end arbitrary detentions.

Social Media The Taliban’s Supreme Court has announced that on Wednesday (August 6), seven individuals, including one woman, were flogged in public in Shah Joy district of Zabul province. According to the statement from the court, four individuals were punished on charges of theft and sodomy, while the other three, including a woman, were punished on charges of “illicit relations.” It was stated that these individuals received between 20 to 30 lashes. This comes as, despite widespread international condemnation, public trials and corporal punishments continue in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Since returning to power in 2021, the group has repeatedly punished men and women in public on various charges.

Photo: Future Afghanistan The United Nations has expressed concern over the Pakistani government’s decision to deport Afghan asylum seekers holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards. On Wednesday (August 6), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) issued a statement urging Pakistani authorities to exempt Afghans in need of international protection, students, patients, and vulnerable individuals from forced deportation. In its statement, the agency particularly expressed concern over the forced return of Afghan women and girls and emphasized that such actions place them at risk of violations of their fundamental rights. UNHCR also welcomed the one-month deadline set by Pakistan for the implementation of this decision. Meanwhile, Richard Bennett, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, also called Pakistan’s decision to carry out mass deportations of Afghan asylum seekers “alarming.” He warned that this process could lead to further instability and increased financial needs for responding to the returnees. This comes as the Pakistani government has announced that Afghans holding temporary residence cards must leave the country by September 1. According to international organizations, this decision puts more than one million Afghan asylum seekers at risk of deportation.

Photo: Nava Jamshidi/Getty Images via Forbes The World Food Programme (WFP) has announced that Afghanistan is currently witnessing the most severe rise in child malnutrition cases. In a report, the organization stated that nearly 10 million people, equivalent to one-fourth of Afghanistan’s population, are experiencing severe food insecurity, and one in every three children in the country is suffering from stunting or growth delays caused by malnutrition. The World Food Programme has identified the reduction in emergency aid over the past two years as the main driver of this crisis and stated that decreased financial support from donor countries has had a direct impact on the condition of children. This comes as the United States, the largest financial contributor to the World Food Programme, halted food assistance to Afghanistan in April. Last year, the U.S. had provided 4.5 billion dollars out of the programme’s total budget of 9.8 billion dollars. In addition to reduced aid, the forced return of Afghan migrants from neighboring countries has also worsened the food crisis in the country. The World Food Programme reported that in the past two months alone, it has assisted 60,000 returnees from Iran, while thousands of others still remain without access to aid. Ziauddin Safi, the organization’s communications officer, stated that at least 15 million more dollars are needed to assist all eligible returnees from Iran. He also added that the World Food Programme needs 539 million dollars in funding by January to continue providing food assistance to vulnerable families across Afghanistan.

Photo: iras.ir The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has announced in a new report that the Taliban detained at least seven journalists and media workers in Afghanistan during the month of July alone. On Tuesday (August 5), the organization expressed concern over the increasing suppression of the media and warned that press freedom in Afghanistan has reached its lowest level in the country's modern history, as the Taliban have intensified pressure on journalists and severely restricted independent media outlets. The International Federation of Journalists has called on the Taliban to immediately release all imprisoned journalists and to end arbitrary arrests. According to the report, on July 24, the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice detained three employees of Tawana News Agency named Abu Zar Sar-e-Puli, Bashir Hatif, and Shakib Ahmad Nazari. The federation stated that these individuals were accused of receiving projects from international organizations in support of women and publishing content critical of the Taliban. The report adds that the Taliban released a video of Sar-e-Puli’s “forced confession,” accusing him of “espionage” and “moral corruption.” However, the fate of the three remains unclear. The organization also stated that Ahmad Naweed Askari, director of the Pixel media company, and his deputy, Mushtaq Ahmad Halimi, were arrested on July 15 in Kabul. The Taliban accused the two of dubbing a “non-Islamic” series for foreign media outlets and confiscated the company’s equipment. After two weeks in detention and forced confessions, the two were released on July 30. Additionally, on July 21, a media worker in Kabul was arrested on charges of collaborating with exiled media outlets, and on July 6, a local journalist was released after two days of detention and signing a pledge. The International Federation of Journalists stated that since the beginning of 2024, it has recorded 48 cases of violations against journalists in Afghanistan, 28 of which involved arrests.

Photo: AFP/Getty Images via DW On the eve of the fourth anniversary of the Taliban's return to power, Human Rights Watch, in a newly released report, has described the global community’s response to the Taliban’s widespread repression of the Afghan people as a “failure” and called for urgent action to hold the group accountable. The organization stated on Tuesday (August 5) that over the past four years, the Taliban have intensified repression and human rights violations across the country. Fereshta Abbasi, Human Rights Watch’s Afghanistan researcher, said that “the Taliban’s widespread human rights violations should compel countries to support the people of Afghanistan.” In this report, Human Rights Watch also expressed concern about the situation of Afghan migrants and asylum seekers in Iran, Pakistan, Germany, and the United States, stating that they face serious challenges. Human Rights Watch also raised alarm about the suspension of financial aid to Afghanistan and the limited access women have to food assistance, saying that the halt in U.S. funding has led to the closure of more than 400 health centers across the country. Fereshta Abbasi emphasized that the consequences of the Taliban’s rule have become clearly evident after four years. She called on the international community to apply pressure on the Taliban to stop the ongoing human rights violations in Afghanistan. The organization has once again called for the establishment of an effective mechanism to hold the Taliban accountable. It is worth noting that on August 15, 2021, the Taliban, after twenty years, regained control of Afghanistan for a second time, and since then, many fundamental rights of citizens, especially women and girls, have been widely violated.