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Photo: LBC/Getty The Afghanistan Journalists Center has warned of the negative consequences of banning the publication of images of living beings in 18 provinces and has called on the Taliban to reconsider this decision. In a statement released on Monday (May 6), the organization said the Taliban have recently implemented this restriction in Panjshir province as well. According to the center, this ban has severely affected media operations and has deprived people of access to information. The statement notes that the publication of images of living beings has officially been banned in half of the country’s provinces, including Kandahar, Takhar, Badghis, Helmand, Nangarhar, Nuristan, Farah, Nimroz, Badakhshan, Baghlan, Jawzjan, Zabul, Parwan, Kunduz, Bamyan, Daikundi, and Faryab. The center added that some media outlets have been forced to shut down due to these restrictions. The Afghanistan Journalists Center has urged the Taliban to reconsider the ban on publishing images of living beings. It is worth noting that the Taliban had previously stated their intention to enforce this restriction nationwide.

Photo: © Ilia Bronskiy | Unsplash The Active Women’s Coordination Association of Afghanistan, in response to reports about Switzerland’s proposed deportation of Afghan asylum seekers based on ethnicity, has condemned the move as "discriminatory, unethical, and a clear violation of international human rights laws" and called for an urgent investigation by global institutions. This statement comes in reaction to a report published by a Swiss newspaper, which revealed a possible plan to deport Afghan asylum seekers from Switzerland, particularly those of Pashtun ethnicity. The report has sparked widespread reactions both within and outside the country. According to the statement, deporting individuals of any nationality or ethnicity to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan is not only a breach of moral and humanitarian principles, but also a clear violation of the 1951 Geneva Convention on Refugees and other international human rights instruments. The Association has warned that such deportations, if carried out solely on the basis of ethnic identity, may constitute racial discrimination and could undermine trust in asylum policies. This is especially concerning given that Afghanistan is currently under a regime that itself governs based on ethnic, religious, and political discrimination. The statement calls on institutions such as the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the European Court of Human Rights, and other international bodies to thoroughly investigate this matter and prevent such violations from being repeated. The Association also urged the Swiss government to clarify its position regarding these reports and to publicly and transparently affirm its commitment to human rights principles, particularly the principle of non-discrimination based on ethnicity. In conclusion, the Active Women’s Coordination Association of Afghanistan stressed that all ethnic groups in Afghanistan, including Pashtuns, Tajiks, Hazaras, Uzbeks, Turkmens, Balochs, and others, must be equally entitled to human rights and that no group should fall victim to discriminatory policies in any civilized country.

Photo: VCG Hamid Karzai, former President of Afghanistan, in response to a recent report by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on the rise in child and infant mortality in the country, has called for the immediate reopening of schools and universities for girls. In a message published on the social media platform X, Karzai stated that preventing the deaths of newborns and mothers depends on the development of the education system and the provision of equal opportunities for girls and boys to receive an education. He emphasized, “The fundamental solution to these problems lies in expanding and strengthening the education system and ensuring access to education for all the children of the country, both girls and boys, along with taking necessary steps to prevent the migration of human resources and scientific and professional cadres abroad.” He called on the Taliban government to reopen schools and universities to girls as soon as possible “so that we will no longer witness the deaths of mothers and newborns in the country as a result of the current challenges.” The former President also called on international aid agencies and organizations to urgently address these problems by equipping and supplying the needs of health centers across Afghanistan and to take action to save the lives of mothers and children. These remarks come as UNICEF recently reported that the infant mortality rate in Kandahar province is above the national average. Tom Fletcher, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General, after visiting a hospital in Kandahar, said that three newborns are being treated in each hospital bed and doctors are sometimes forced to make difficult decisions to save only one among several infants. He stated that the closure of hundreds of health centers and the reduction of health budgets have deprived millions of people of access to basic medical services.

Image source: Amu TV Following the suicide of a young Afghan girl in Islamabad, the International Federation of Exiled Human Rights Defenders has warned that the global community’s "deadly silence" regarding the situation of Afghan refugees has left them in unbearable and distressing conditions. According to confirmed information, the 20-year-old girl ended her life on Sunday (May 4) by jumping from the window of a high-rise building in the Gulberg Green area of Islamabad. The Federation stated that UN-related processes for Afghan asylum seekers in Pakistan have effectively come to a halt, leaving them with no clear prospects for the future. Samiullah Azizi, head of the Federation, confirmed that the girl had been living in Pakistan for the past four years and had an immigration case pending for Australia. He said the exact cause of the suicide is still unclear, and the body has been transferred to forensic medicine for examination. The Federation has called for the urgent processing of migration cases for Afghan refugees. This incident follows a similar tragedy last year, when another Afghan girl in Islamabad died by suicide due to prolonged uncertainty in her asylum process.

Photo: Mary Kate MacIsaac/World Vision The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) reports that the increasing return of Afghan migrants from neighboring countries has led to a growing number of women in need of maternity and health care services at migrant reception centers. According to the agency, in the first three months of 2025, at least 66 women gave birth at the emergency maternity clinic in the migrant reception center in Kandahar province. UNFPA emphasized that "every successful birth is a victory over hardship, poverty, displacement, and fear. We are not only delivering babies, we are helping women find hope, dignity, and a sense of security amid crisis." Tamana Tokhi, a midwife at the organization’s emergency clinic in Takht-e-Pol district of Kandahar, said that since the beginning of April, the number of women seeking care has significantly increased. She added, "Our working days have become long, but I am fully committed. Every woman who comes to this clinic deserves care and dignity, even if I am tired." According to the provided statistics, over the past three months alone, around 2,331 people have received various health services at this center, including childbirth, pre- and post-natal care, and family planning counseling. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization has announced that it has delivered 4.5 metric tons of medical supplies to Afghanistan to help address the urgent needs of returnees. These supplies are specifically designated to support health centers in border areas.

Sent to Zan TV Members of the Purple Saturdays Movement, in a protest action, described the self-immolation of Abeda, a young woman from Ghor province, as a "cry of helplessness" against forced marriage and called on the United Nations to officially recognize April 27 as the "International Day of Protest Against Forced Marriage and Commemoration of Its Victims." Abeda, a young woman from the village of Darzab-e-Nili in the Taywara district of Ghor province, set herself on fire on Sunday, April 27 of this year. The act occurred in front of Taliban fighters as they attempted to forcibly marry her to the brother of a local Taliban commander. In this protest video, members of the Purple Saturdays Movement described Abeda’s self-immolation as the most extreme form of protest against forced marriage and the systematic crimes of the Taliban against women. According to them, Abeda’s heroic and painful act to draw global attention to this violent practice requires an urgent and united international response. Members of the movement warned that if the voices of Afghan women continue to go unheard, they may resort to more extreme forms of protest. While such actions could lead to cultural change and social transformation, they also risk triggering new human tragedies. The protesters believe Abeda’s self-immolation represents the condition of hundreds of women subjected to forced marriage, especially in Afghanistan, women who, under a system of gender apartheid and amid global indifference, have been driven to the brink of despair and silent screams. The Purple Saturdays Movement also criticized the silence of the United Nations, UNAMA, and international human rights organizations regarding the incident, calling it a sign of indifference toward the repeated systematic crimes against women in Afghanistan. In conclusion, the movement called on all human rights organizations, feminists, protest movements, and women’s rights groups to launch a campaign to register and designate April 27 as the "International Day of Protest Against Forced Marriage" at the United Nations and to formally commemorate this day.

Photo by Akhtar Soomro/Reuters The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has announced that nearly one million Afghan migrants have been deported from Pakistan and returned to Afghanistan over the past 18 months. According to the organization, in April of this year alone, 145,000 migrants were expelled from Pakistan to Afghanistan. The Red Cross report states that the return process is accompanied by widespread challenges. Many families, upon arrival in Afghanistan, are living in camps under harsh conditions, with some cases involving up to four families being housed in a single tent. The organization stressed that between four to six thousand people are entering Afghanistan each day, creating significant pressure on health services, food supplies, and other basic resources. The International Committee of the Red Cross has appealed for 25 million Swiss francs in financial aid to meet the urgent needs of the returnees. Meanwhile, the deportation of migrants from neighboring countries, including Pakistan and Iran, continues. However, the Taliban administration lacks the necessary preparedness to receive and support the returnees.

Photo by AP On World Press Freedom Day, international and domestic organizations have expressed deep concern over the worsening situation of media and journalists in Afghanistan. Findings indicate that over the past year, restrictions and threats against independent media outlets and journalists have increased at an unprecedented rate. According to a report by the Afghanistan Journalists Center, from May 2024 to the present, more than 215 cases of press freedom violations have been recorded, including 175 threats and 40 journalist arrests. This figure represents a 58 percent increase compared to the same period last year. Among those arrested, 10 journalists remain in prison, seven of whom have been sentenced to jail terms ranging from 7 months to 3 years. Meanwhile, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), in a statement, declared that free and independent media in the country are gradually deteriorating. According to UNAMA, Taliban-imposed restrictions and economic pressure pose a serious threat to the sustainability of media operations. Roza Otunbayeva, Head of UNAMA, emphasized in her message for World Press Freedom Day that a diverse and independent media sector is essential for transparency, public trust, and accountable governance. Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, in a video message, called for the immediate release of imprisoned journalists and warned that female journalists are particularly vulnerable to discrimination, violence, and arbitrary detention. He urged the international community to support Afghan journalists, especially those living in exile. At the same time, António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, stated, “The freedom of people depends on the freedom of expression. When journalists cannot report freely, we all suffer.” This comes as Reporters Without Borders has ranked Afghanistan 175th out of 180 countries in its latest World Press Freedom Index. The organization warned that political pressure, security threats, and economic crises are among the main factors weakening media freedom globally. Currently, Afghan journalists and media outlets are not only facing severe censorship and the risk of arrest but are also struggling with an escalating economic crisis. Many outlets have been forced to shut down their operations.

Sent to Zan TV The Women’s Voice Movement of Afghanistan, in a protest held in Tehran and a published statement, has described the gender-based violence and forced marriages imposed by the Taliban as clear crimes against humanity and has called for immediate action by international institutions. The protest was held on Saturday (May 3) in the city of Tehran. In a video obtained by Zan TV from the gathering, the protesters condemned the systematic violation of Afghan women’s human rights by the Taliban while reading the movement’s statement. According to the statement, forced marriages and sexual violence are not only blatant violations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), but they also contradict the principles of Islamic Sharia, which emphasizes mutual consent and human dignity. The movement warned that the Taliban, through their misogynistic policies and the imposition of sexual violence, are targeting the dignity and freedom of Afghan women, and that the international community must respond firmly to this gender apartheid. In the final part of the statement, the Women’s Voice Movement of Afghanistan urged the United Nations, the International Criminal Court, governments, and human rights organizations to apply diplomatic pressure and initiate legal action to compel the Taliban to end these crimes. Recalling the names of victims such as Abeda, Rukhshana, Farkhunda, Negar Gol Andam, and Tajgul, the movement emphasized that "human rights are universal and the voices of Afghan women must be heard." This protest follows a wave of widespread reactions to the self-immolation of Abeda, a young woman from the village of Darzab-e-Nili in the Taywara district of Ghor province. Last Sunday, when Taliban members attempted to forcibly marry her to the brother of a local Taliban commander, she set herself on fire in front of the Taliban fighters.

Image taken from video footage sent to Zan TV The Network for the Struggle for the Freedom of the People of Afghanistan, in a statement, described the self-immolation of Abeda, a young woman from Ghor province, as a "cry for justice" and held the Taliban regime primarily responsible for the incident. According to the statement, Abeda was not just a woman but a symbol of protest and the silent voice of thousands of women and men who, under the rule of oppression, discrimination, and injustice, have been deprived of their most basic human rights. Expressing deep sorrow over the incident, the network emphasized that "Abeda cried out her life; a cry that should shake the conscience of humanity." In the network’s view, this incident is not merely a personal tragedy but a reflection of the pain of a generation that has found no other way to express its suffering. The Network for the Struggle for the Freedom of the People of Afghanistan has also called on international organizations, human rights defenders, and media outlets not to let this fire be extinguished. The statement declares that Abeda’s voice must be heard around the world, and efforts must be made to uncover the truth and achieve justice. The statement concludes with this message: "Abeda fell silent, but the flame she lit will guide our path of resistance."