Zan News: According to the 2024 Global Expression annual report, the state of freedom of expression in Afghanistan has deteriorated to a crisis level, making it one of the worst countries in the world in this regard. Afghanistan Among the Worst Countries in the World for Freedom of Speech May 23, 2024 Zan News Zan News: According to the 2024 Global Expression annual report, the state of freedom of expression in Afghanistan has deteriorated to a crisis level, making it one of the worst countries in the world in this regard. The Global Expression annual report shows that Afghanistan ranks 155th out of 161 countries in the world. This represents a 47-place drop in Afghanistan's ranking in terms of freedom of expression over the past five years (2018 to 2023). In contrast, Denmark tops the ranking. According to the World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders, Afghanistan is also among the worst countries for journalists to operate in. The organization's report last month, titled "World Press Freedom Index - Journalism Under Political Pressure in 2024," shows that Afghanistan has fallen 26 places to 178th. Reporters Without Borders cites the deaths and detentions of journalists in Afghanistan as the reason for this decline. It is worth noting that since taking power in Afghanistan, the Taliban have imposed severe restrictions on freedom of expression and the media in the country and have cracked down on their critics. The Global Expression report also shows that in 2023, 53% of the world's population lived in a crisis situation in terms of freedom of expression. Currently, more than 4 billion people in 39 countries are under this crisis, and this figure is still increasing. In the Global Expression ranking of freedom of expression, after Denmark, Switzerland and Sweden rank second and third, respectively. On the other hand, Turkmenistan, Nicaragua, Eritrea and North Korea have been identified as the four last countries in this ranking, respectively.

Zan News: The Independent Coalition of Afghanistan Women’s Protest Movements held a protest gathering in Islamabad, Pakistan, and issued a statement on Thursday (January 23), strongly condemning human rights violations, arbitrary detentions, and restrictions imposed on freedom of expression and media in Afghanistan. Sent to Zan TV Protest Movements of Afghan Women Condemn Human Rights Violations and Suppression of Freedom of Expression in Afghanistan January 23, 2025 Zan News Zan News: The Independent Coalition of Afghanistan Women’s Protest Movements held a protest gathering in Islamabad, Pakistan, and issued a statement on Thursday (January 23), strongly condemning human rights violations, arbitrary detentions, and restrictions imposed on freedom of expression and media in Afghanistan. The statement highlights that the rise in illegal detentions, especially of journalists and civil activists, poses a serious threat to press freedom and democracy and constitutes a blatant violation of fundamental human rights principles. The coalition emphasized that journalists and media activists, who strive to provide accurate information under difficult circumstances, must be fully supported by the law. The statement further noted that violent actions, arbitrary detentions, and the creation of an atmosphere of intimidation to silence the media are in direct violation of international commitments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The coalition has called for an immediate end to irresponsible detentions and the unconditional release of journalists and civil activists. The Independent Coalition of Afghanistan Women’s Protest Movements also urged international organizations to fulfill their responsibility in monitoring member states' commitments to respect human rights and freedom of expression. The statement stressed the need for practical actions by the international community and human rights organizations to support journalists and activists whose voices have been silenced. In another part of the statement, the movement called on the Afghan people to break their silence and launch a national uprising against the Taliban regime. In conclusion, the coalition expressed solidarity with all victims of human rights violations and called on responsible authorities to take immediate and tangible actions to respect human dignity and freedom of expression.

Zan News: The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC), in response to the Taliban's recent order banning political and economic broadcasts in the media, has condemned this move as part of their "monophony" policies. Photo: Reuters Afghanistan Journalists Center: Taliban's Ban on Political and Economic Broadcasts Part of "Monophony" Policies February 15, 2025 Zan News Zan News: The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC), in response to the Taliban's recent order banning political and economic broadcasts in the media, has condemned this move as part of their "monophony" policies. In a statement issued on Friday (February 14), the organization announced that the Taliban have verbally instructed media outlets to refrain from broadcasting political and economic programs, warning of severe consequences for non-compliance. The AFJC emphasized that this order not only affects political programs but also restricts discussions on economic issues. According to the statement, television networks in Afghanistan are now only permitted to host Taliban spokespersons for discussions. The organization also reported that the Taliban's Ministry of Information and Culture has stated that further decisions on this matter will be made by next Monday. The AFJC expressed deep concern over these restrictions, describing them as part of a broader policy to suppress free media and silence critical voices. It is worth noting that since their return to power, the Taliban have repeatedly imposed restrictive measures, putting pressure on media freedom and attempting to suppress dissenting voices.

Zan News: Taliban security officials in Farah province say that as a result of an armed conflict between two families over inheritance property in the center of the province, three people, including two women, have been killed, and another man has been injured. Social Media Dispute Over Inheritance in Farah; Two Women and One Man Killed March 13, 2025 Zan News Zan News: Taliban security officials in Farah province say that as a result of an armed conflict between two families over inheritance property in the center of the province, three people, including two women, have been killed, and another man has been injured. The Taliban police command in Farah stated in a press release that this incident took place in the fourth security district of the provincial center. Nasim Badri, the spokesperson for the command, added that the conflict occurred between paternal cousins and that the perpetrators fled the scene after committing the crime.

Zan News: Amnesty International has expressed concern over the continued violation of women's rights by the Taliban in Afghanistan, urging the group to end the "torture and sexual abuse" of women. Amnesty International: Taliban Must End Torture and Sexual Abuse of Women in Afghanistan July 14, 2024 Zan News Zan News: Amnesty International has expressed concern over the continued violation of women's rights by the Taliban in Afghanistan, urging the group to end the "torture and sexual abuse" of women. In a message on the social network X, published on Saturday (July 13), Amnesty International stated that the Taliban have committed violations of women's rights, including killings, corporal punishment, and arbitrary detention. The organization emphasized that "human rights abuses, including corporal punishment, killings, arbitrary detention, torture, sexual abuse of women, and denial of education must end." It is noteworthy that for nearly three years, the Taliban have been consistently accused of violating women's rights in Afghanistan by international human rights organizations. Since regaining control of Afghanistan, the Taliban have not only killed, detained, and tortured citizens but have also publicly whipped hundreds of men and women accused of having extramarital relationships. Last Wednesday, Amnesty International also reacted to a recent UNAMA report on the actions of the Taliban's Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice against Afghan citizens, stating that the group must end its "gross" human rights violations in the country. Amnesty International highlighted that the UNAMA report "revealed the violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of Afghan citizens."

Zan News - Kandahar: Local sources in Kandahar report that a 20-year-old woman in this province was beheaded by her husband. A Young Woman Beheaded by Her Husband in Kandahar August 28, 2024 Zan News Zan News - Kandahar: Local sources in Kandahar report that a 20-year-old woman in this province was beheaded by her husband. According to the sources, the incident occurred last night, Tuesday (August 27), in the village of "Ghulam Farooq" in the Spin Boldak district. The sources added that the woman had married a 37-year-old man, originally from Faryab province, about six months ago. After committing this crime, the woman's husband fled the area, and the motive for the murder is still unknown. Local Taliban authorities in Kandahar have not yet commented on the incident. This comes amid a worrying increase in domestic violence-related murders in Kandahar in recent days. Two days ago, a man in Kandahar's Daman district killed his wife with an axe due to their child's crying.

Zan News: Local sources in Nangarhar have reported that the Taliban have asked local media in the province to prepare their programs in accordance with the group's policies and to defend the Taliban against foreign media broadcasts. Photo: Amu Taliban to Nangarhar Media: Adjust Your Broadcasts to Support Us October 9, 2024 Zan News Zan News: Local sources in Nangarhar have reported that the Taliban have asked local media in the province to prepare their programs in accordance with the group's policies and to defend the Taliban against foreign media broadcasts. Sources said on Tuesday (October 8) that officials of the Nangarhar Information and Culture Department have asked audio media to challenge foreign media broadcasts that the Taliban claim are "anti-Taliban." The Taliban in these provinces have emphasized that "foreign media have anti-Taliban programs and domestic media are obliged to challenge their broadcasts." It is worth mentioning that the Taliban have imposed severe restrictions on the media in the provinces of Nangarhar, Khost, and Paktia. Taliban's security command in Khost previously asked journalists to coordinate their programs with them before broadcasting. Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, pressure on domestic media has increased and there have been numerous reports of journalists being arrested and tortured.

Zan News - Kabul: The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for urgent assistance to address the victims of recent floods in Afghanistan. World Health Organization Calls for Urgent Aid for Flood Victims in Afghanistan June 3, 2024 Zan News Zan News - Kabul: The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for urgent assistance to address the victims of recent floods in Afghanistan. In a report released on Sunday (June 2), the organization described the situation in the flood-affected provinces as critical and said that there is an urgent need to mobilize additional resources to meet humanitarian needs. "The situation in the flood-affected provinces in northern, northeastern and western Afghanistan remains critical and requires urgent mobilization of additional resources to address humanitarian needs," the organization said in its report. According to the report, the floods have affected more than 60,000 people and destroyed 7,800 homes in the provinces of Baghlan, Badakhshan and Takhar. The floods have also displaced more than 5,000 other families in these provinces. It is worth noting that the heavy rains in recent weeks have caused significant casualties and financial losses to the people of Afghanistan. The European Union had previously announced that it would allocate 200,000 euros, equivalent to 15.5 million Afghanis, to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to flood victims in Afghanistan.

Zan News: The Political Women's Participation Network of Afghanistan has called for serious attention to the Taliban's violations of women's and girls' rights in Afghanistan on the occasion of the "World Day Against Torture." Political Women's Participation Network: World Day Against Torture, an Opportunity to Highlight Taliban's Torture and Oppression Afghanistan June 27, 2024 Zan News Zan News: The Political Women's Participation Network of Afghanistan has called for serious attention to the Taliban's violations of women's and girls' rights in Afghanistan on the occasion of the "World Day Against Torture." In a statement released on Wednesday (June 26), the network emphasized that given repeated reports of torture and oppression inflicted by the Taliban on Afghan women and girls over the past three years, commemorating this day could serve as a timely opportunity to draw serious attention to this issue. The Political Women's Participation Network of Afghanistan asserts that the blatant crimes and oppression by the Taliban against women and girls unequivocally prove the existence of gender apartheid in Afghanistan. Additionally, the network has urged international judicial and legal bodies, the United Nations, the Human Rights Council, the Security Council, and all relevant international organizations and entities to officially recognize gender apartheid in Afghanistan and to halt the torture and oppression against women and girls in the country, emphasizing the importance of respecting human rights and combating torture. The statement further declares: "International judicial and legal bodies, the United Nations, the Human Rights Council, the Security Council, and all relevant international organizations must on this day strive more than ever to respect the rights of women and children, to respect vulnerable individuals, and put an end to the blatant torture imposed on the people, the Taliban terrorist group step aside from their position of powerr so that women and girls no longer suffer harassment, injustice, and oppression." The Political Women's Participation Network of Afghanistan concludes its statement by honoring the "World Day Against Torture" and expressing hope for the freedom of Afghan women and girls and the liberation of Afghanistan.

Zan News - Helmand: Local sources in Helmand have reported that a man in this province shot and killed his brother’s wife after she requested her late husband's rights. Social Media A Woman Killed by Her Brother-in-Law in Helmand September 4, 2024 Zan News Zan News - Helmand: Local sources in Helmand have reported that a man in this province shot and killed his brother’s wife after she requested her late husband's rights. Sources stated on Wednesday (September 4) that the incident occurred in the "Larkan" area of Kajaki district. According to the sources, the woman's husband had passed away a year ago, and she was living with her three orphaned children. Local Taliban officials in Helmand have not yet commented on the incident. It is worth noting that domestic violence has increased in Afghanistan since the Taliban regained control of the country.