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Photo: IRC The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has announced that Afghanistan, with over 23 million people in need, including 12 million children, is experiencing the second largest humanitarian crisis in the world. According to the organization’s latest report, the restrictions imposed by the Taliban on women and girls have significantly increased humanitarian needs across the country. UNICEF emphasized that the ban on girls’ education, especially at the secondary level, has seriously affected their learning opportunities. At present, no secondary schools for girls are open in Afghanistan. The report also states that the effects of climate change, natural disasters, poverty, and lack of adequate access to healthcare, nutrition, and clean drinking water have placed the lives of millions at risk. The United Nations has repeatedly warned that the Taliban’s restrictions on women not only violate human rights but also hinder the delivery of aid to those in need. Although the international community has called for the removal of these restrictions, the Taliban have so far ignored these demands and continue to insist on implementing policies they claim are based on "Sharia."

Social Media The Taliban’s Supreme Court has announced that five individuals, including one woman, were publicly flogged in the provinces of Kunduz and Kabul. These individuals were punished on charges of "extramarital relations" and "selling alcohol and narcotic substances." According to a statement issued by the court on Thursday (May 29), the Taliban’s Primary Court in Qala-e-Zal district of Kunduz province sentenced a woman and a man to flogging and three years of imprisonment for having an extramarital relationship. In another case, the court reported the execution of flogging sentences for three other men in Kabul, who were convicted of selling narcotics and alcoholic beverages. They were sentenced to one to two years in prison along with flogging. The Taliban did not provide any details regarding the identities of the individuals or the legal proceedings in its statement. Since the return of the Taliban to power, punishments such as public flogging under the pretext of "implementing Sharia rulings" have been widely carried out, drawing strong reactions from human rights organizations and the United Nations. International bodies consider these actions to be in violation of fair trial principles and a breach of human rights.

Photo: WFP/Rana Deraz The World Food Programme (WFP) has announced that more than four million women and children in Afghanistan are affected by malnutrition. In a video shared on the social media platform X, the organization stated that some of these individuals are currently receiving treatment at clinics supported by WFP. It is worth mentioning that the organization had previously warned that the number of children suffering from malnutrition in Afghanistan could reach 3.5 million by the year 2025. According to a report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the rate of malnutrition in Afghanistan has increased compared to four years ago. OCHA and WFP have identified widespread poverty, unemployment, and food insecurity as the main causes of this situation.

Photo: wikipedia Local sources in Khost province have reported that five people, including two women, were killed following a clash between two families in the Tani district of this province. The incident occurred on Wednesday (May 28), and according to the sources, four members of one family, including the father, mother, daughter, and son, lost their lives in this conflict. One person from the opposing family was also killed. Sources have confirmed that a newlywed woman was also injured during the incident, and the main cause of the clash has been described as a dispute over issues related to children. Meanwhile, the Taliban police command in Khost has also confirmed the incident but has not provided further details. It is worth mentioning that similar cases of violence, especially over land and family disputes, have previously been reported in several provinces of the country.

Photo: zakia_khudadadi/instagram Zakia Khudadadi, a female Afghan para-taekwondo athlete, has won a bronze medal at the " Rio Open G2 " competition in Brazil. In a message posted on her Instagram page on Thursday (May 29), Khudadadi wrote, " This medal is not just for me, it is for all the women of Afghanistan who are still standing despite all the hardships. " She added, " We may face obstacles, but we never give up. We rise, always! " It is worth noting that this Afghan athlete, who fled the country after the Taliban's return to power and now lives in France, participated in the Paris 2024 Paralympics as part of the Refugee Team and secured the bronze medal. This comes at a time when the Taliban, since regaining power, have banned women from participating in sports. As a result, many Afghan female athletes have either halted their activities or been forced to leave the country.

Photo: UNAMA/Fardin Waezi A group of exiled Afghan journalists living in Turkey has sent an open letter to Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, calling for urgent support and relocation to safe countries. This letter, backed by the Free Speech Centre in Canada and signed by 50 journalists, warns of the dangers of forced deportation, legal uncertainty, and growing psychological pressure. According to the letter, ten journalists have already lost their residency status, twenty others have received deportation orders, and many more have been left in limbo for years in Turkey despite being recognized by UNHCR. The journalists emphasize that since the Taliban took control of the Afghan embassy in Turkey, the risk of identification and physical threats against them has increased. They add that the label of "Turkey being safe" by Western countries has blocked proper attention to their situation. In this letter, the Afghan journalists urge the UNHCR to prevent their forced deportation from Turkey. They also call on the agency to facilitate their resettlement to third countries and provide them with special humanitarian support. The letter stresses the need to guarantee access to legal and medical services. In conclusion, the journalists warn that ignoring their fate would mean silencing the voice of truth and allowing tyranny to prevail.

Exclusive to Zan TV Toronto - Canada: On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, the annual conference of the Free Speech Centre was held in Toronto, Canada, with the wide participation of journalists, university professors, and media activists from various countries, including Afghanistan. The event, focusing on the challenges and opportunities of journalism in both democratic and repressive societies—especially the concerning state of freedom of expression in Afghanistan under Taliban rule—was structured around two discussion panels. Exclusive to Zan TV The first panel, titled "Truth in the Age of Repression," was led by Lotfullah Najafizada, the head of Amu Television. Jennifer Holt (The Walrus), Michelle Shephard (CJFE), Brent Jolly (CAJ), and Lucan (Professor of Political Science at the University of Toronto) participated in this session. The speakers discussed the differences between the media environment in democratic countries and repressive regimes, emphasizing the importance of supportive structures in free nations and the lack of such facilities in countries like Afghanistan. Exclusive to Zan TV The second panel of the conference, titled "From Headlines to Silence: The Struggle for Journalism in Afghanistan," focused on the difficult situation of Afghan journalists. This session was moderated by Samia Medwar from The Walrus and included Farida Nikzad (Carleton University), Shoaib Rahim (University Professor), and Zahra Nader (Founder of Zan Times). The speakers addressed the Taliban's repressive conditions, widespread restrictions on the media, and the resistance of female journalists against censorship and threats. Bob Rae, Canada's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, stated in his speech: "Media in many countries are systematically targeted, and the international community must unite to defend freedom of expression." Najib Asil, head of the Free Speech Centre, referred to 2024 as one of the deadliest years for journalists, saying: "At least 124 journalists lost their lives in 18 countries, which is unprecedented in the past five decades." During the conference, Rachel Pulfer, President of Journalists for Human Rights (JHR), was honored for supporting and facilitating the transfer of more than 2,400 Afghan journalists and human rights activists to Canada since 2021. Rababa Mohammadi, an Afghan artist, was also recognized for her resilience and artistic activism in defending women's rights in Afghanistan despite her physical disability. Exclusive to Zan TV Conference speakers, including Najib Asil, called for increased support from the Canadian government and international media organizations for Afghan journalists at risk, especially those in Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey. He stressed the need for cooperation in job placement, resettlement, and protection for Afghan journalists. At the end of the conference, a number of journalists and officials from international organizations supporting freedom of expression shared their views through video messages on the global media situation, particularly the repressive conditions in Afghanistan.

Photo: HamidKarzai/X Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, in a post sharing photos from his son Mirwais Karzai’s graduation and his daughter Malalai’s completion of primary school, has once again emphasized the importance of education for Afghan children, especially girls. In the photos published on his official Facebook page on Thursday (May 29), Karzai is seen with his family attending the graduation ceremony of Mirwais from the Afghan-Turk school. His wife, Zeenat Karzai, is also seen in the photos — an image of her appearing in public after many years. In the caption, Karzai mentions Mirwais’s high school graduation and announces that his daughter Malalai has completed her primary education. He added that she is “determined and ready” to continue her studies at higher levels. He also expressed hope that Malalai and other Afghan girls will be able to study inside the country up to grade twelve and then pursue their dreams at university, eventually serving their families and nation. Although Karzai did not directly refer to the current situation in the country, his remarks come at a time when the Taliban have banned girls in Afghanistan from attending school beyond grade six and have severely restricted their participation in public life.

Photo: Stefanie Glinski / The Telegraph "The Taliban, with their mine, not only amputated both of my legs, but also severed my ties with my family and society..."   "Leaving aside the views of ordinary people, it was my own parents' mindset that caused me to visit home only once in twelve years, for just two hours, before returning to the nursing home for people with disabilities. I will never return again..."   "Not having legs is not my greatest pain. It is the humiliating looks and words of people, calling me crippled and limping, and hundreds of other things that increase my suffering..."   These are the quotes of three women and girls with physical disabilities, whose stories have been highlighted by Zan TV in a report about the situation of these women and girls in Afghan society.   Women and girls with physical disabilities say that they not only suffer from the loss of their body parts, but also endure severe depression and psychological distress.   Sitara, a star hidden behind the cloud of sorrow for what she has lost, is one of these women. Twelve years ago, while traveling from her father's house to the city of Herat, she lost both of her legs in a Taliban landmine explosion. She now spends her days and nights with her three small children in a damp and old room.   She speaks with sighs and sorrow about her suffering, from her physical disability to the loss of family ties and the lack of food to fill her children's hungry stomachs.   "Twelve years ago, the Taliban, with their mine, not only amputated both of my legs, but also severed my ties with my family and society. Even my own parents no longer see me as their daughter. The last time I was a guest at my father's house was twelve years ago. On our way back, the vehicle hit a mine. I did not understand anything else. When I opened my eyes, I found myself in the hospital, my clothes soaked in blood."   According to Sitara, the Taliban's planted mine not only caused the loss of her legs, but also led her closest family members to cut ties with her and leave her in isolation.   Sitara says that at first, her friends and relatives were with her, but in less than six months, even her parents distanced themselves from her. Nearly ten years have passed, and her parents have not checked on her at all.   "At first, only my father and mother stayed by my side. But after six months, even they became distant. They said, 'What should we do with this crippled one?' Little by little, they abandoned me. Now it has been nearly ten years that I have heard nothing from them, and they have not asked about me."   She says that she has not only been rejected by society, her sister, brother, father, and mother, but also by her husband, who was the closest person to her. Four years ago, with the return of the Taliban, he left the house and abandoned unlucky Setareh and their three children in the city of Herat.   "It has been four years since my husband left the house, and I have no news of him. I live in this rented house. It is very hard when my children go to sleep hungry at night and cry from hunger until morning."   Sitara says that although she has no legs, she still goes to her neighbors in search of a piece of bread and washes their clothes and dishes in exchange for dry bread.   She adds that the harsh words of people in the community and her neighbors on one hand, and the lack of financial means to meet her basic needs on the other hand, along with her loneliness and having no guardian, have caused her to suffer from severe depression.   "Isn't it enough to have one sorrow? I must find bread for my children. When I go out, people laugh at me. When I go to a neighbor's house, they say a beggar has come. My father, mother, and husband have abandoned me. Who should I turn to? I have gone mad, I am mentally ill. What more can I say and to whom?"   Sitara is not the only one living in this miserable condition. Mahnaz, a 27-year-old girl, is another. Fourteen years ago, she became paralyzed in both legs and her lower back due to a traffic accident in the city of Tehran, Iran.   She has a bitter and similar story to Sitara's life narrative. Mahnaz says that after returning to Afghanistan, not only did people in society look at her with contempt, but even her own parents did the same. This caused her to leave home, and for the past twelve years, she has spent her days and nights in a care center for people with disabilities.   "We were going to a wedding. It has been almost fourteen years since the accident. The car we were in crashed and overturned. All members of my family were with me. Three of us were injured. But my injury remained forever. I am paralyzed from the waist down and in both legs."   The tears of loneliness and being rejected by her family no longer allow Mahnaz to continue. She pauses for a moment and then continues speaking with teary eyes and a broken voice.   "Ordinary people's opinions aside, it was the mindset of my own parents that made me go home only once in twelve years, and even then I stayed for just two hours. I returned to the care center and will never go back again. When I was at home, my mother used to say we cannot go to weddings or gatherings with you because people will laugh at us, saying your daughter is crippled."   According to Mahnaz, she has endured many hardships because of the attitudes of people and her closest family members.   "My father used to say he had no money for my treatment. In the end, with the help of a friend, I registered at the care center. In the second year, I went home but stayed only for two hours. I saw that the same attitude toward me still existed, so I returned."   Mahnaz says that after the Taliban came to power, she was deprived of attending university and is now suffering from psychological illnesses.   "The only hope I had left was to go to university and study computer science. But now, there is no hope left for life. I have thought many times about committing suicide, but I am afraid of its sin."   Shamila is another girl with a physical disability who, according to her, contracted polio during infancy and now lives alone in a rented house.   She recounts the bitterness of her life as follows: "When I was two years old, my father passed away. When I was four, my mother remarried. I lived with my grandfather, but unfortunately, when I turned fifteen, he also passed away. The only person I had left was my sister, who was married. I lived with them for a year, but I noticed that my sister’s husband looked at me inappropriately, so I was forced to rent a house and live alone."   Shamila says that although she covers some of her basic living expenses by working in people’s houses, society looks at her with contempt.   "Not having legs is not my greatest pain. It is the degrading looks and words of people, calling me crippled and limping, and hundreds of other things that make my suffering even worse. I have no choice. I tolerate it and cry. Why do they call me like this?"   Shamila says that although before the Taliban came to power she used to receive an annual disability allowance of sixty thousand Afghanis from the Department of Martyrs and Disabled, the Taliban, despite cutting that amount in half, do not pay her disability allowance on time.   "Under the previous government, my annual disability allowance was sixty thousand Afghanis. I could manage with that. But now, the Taliban brothers have reduced it by half, and it is not paid at the time I need it. A year passes and only half of it is given."   It is worth mentioning that after several decades of war in Afghanistan, a large number of people, especially women and children, have become disabled. According to statistics provided by the International Committee of the Red Cross in Afghanistan, more than one million people are living with some form of disability, of which ten percent are war-related disabilities.

Social Media Local Taliban officials in Faryab province report that a child has died following a fire at a fuel shop in Andkhoy district. According to the Taliban's police command in Faryab, the incident occurred on Wednesday morning (May 21) in the Andkhoy district market. The command stated that as a result of the fire, the shop owner was injured and his four-year-old child lost their life. The Taliban attributed the cause of the fire to the shop owner's negligence.