Zan News: Shaharzad Akbar, former head of the Afghanistan Human Rights Commission, has called the exclusion of women from the third Doha meeting by the United Nations "shameful." Criticism Over Exclusion of Women from the Third Doha Meeting; Shaharzad Akbar: This is Shameful June 25, 2024 Zan News Zan News: Shaharzad Akbar, former head of the Afghanistan Human Rights Commission, has called the exclusion of women from the third Doha meeting by the United Nations "shameful." Last night (June 24), Ms. Akbar reacted to this issue by posting a message on her X account, questioning what the third Doha meeting will do about the millions of girls deprived of education in Afghanistan. She added, "It is truly shameful that the United Nations and an accidental theocratic regime [the Taliban] decide to exclude Afghan women from an international meeting on Afghanistan." It is worth mentioning that with the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan, millions of girls have been deprived of education. Meanwhile, the exclusion of women and civil society representatives from Afghanistan from the third Doha meeting has faced severe criticism from human rights organizations. Previously, Human Rights Watch stated that despite the severe suppression of women and girls by the Taliban in Afghanistan, the United Nations intends to hold a meeting without having women's rights on the agenda. Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International, also said that if the Doha meeting does not adequately address the human rights crisis in Afghanistan and does not include women human rights defenders and other civil society stakeholders, it will lose its legitimacy. This comes as the third Doha meeting, hosted by the United Nations and attended by special representatives of countries on Afghan affairs and Taliban representatives, is scheduled to take place on June 30 and July 1.

Zan News: Taliban security officials in Parwan province report that during an armed robbery at a house in Charikar, the provincial capital, the homeowner’s wife and one of the robbers were killed. Social Media Woman Killed in Armed Robbery Attack on a House in Parwan February 2, 2025 Zan News Zan News: Taliban security officials in Parwan province report that during an armed robbery at a house in Charikar, the provincial capital, the homeowner’s wife and one of the robbers were killed. The incident occurred at 3:30 a.m. yesterday, Saturday (February 1), in the "Noh Parcheh" area of Charikar’s first district. Fazelrahim Miskinyar, the spokesperson for the Taliban’s security command in Parwan, stated that a group of armed robbers entered a house with the intent to steal and clashed with the homeowner. As a result of the confrontation, the homeowner’s 45-year-old wife was killed, and his son was injured. Miskinyar also confirmed that one of the armed assailants was killed during the clash, but his identity remains unknown. In response to claims that the attackers were members of the Taliban, the spokesperson dismissed these reports as "biased and baseless," emphasizing that investigations into the matter are ongoing. This comes amid a recent surge in armed robberies reported in Kabul and other cities. Despite the Taliban’s claims of ensuring security, criminal activities, including murder and theft, continue to rise. Last week alone, at least 19 people were killed in several provinces of Afghanistan.

Zan News: Local sources in Maidan Wardak province report that a young girl named Sohaila, who intended to marry by her own choice, was murdered by her brother. Social Media The Murder of a Young Girl by Her Brother in Maidan Wardak Over Marrying by Her Own Choice January 12, 2025 Zan News Zan News: Local sources in Maidan Wardak province report that a young girl named Sohaila, who intended to marry by her own choice, was murdered by her brother. The incident occurred on Thursday (January 9) in the Hisa-e-Awal Behsud area of the province. A source close to Sohaila’s family stated that she was killed by her brother, Abdul Ahmad, due to her decision to marry the boy of her choice after months of opposition and threats. According to the source, Abdul Ahmad first stabbed his sister four times in the back and then slit her throat to kill her. The source explained that earlier this spring, Sohaila had decided to marry a boy from their area, but the decision faced opposition from their families. Following these disagreements, Sohaila and the boy were forced to run away from home. The source added: "After some time, local elders mediated, and an agreement was reached under which the groom's family paid 300,000 Afghanis to Sohaila's family. Despite this agreement, family disputes continued, ultimately leading to Sohaila’s tragic murder." One of Sohaila’s neighbors stated, "Sohaila only wanted to choose her own life. This incident has shocked all of us. Families must refrain from such violence." Reports indicate that Abdul Ahmad was arrested by Taliban forces after the incident and is now being held in a local prison. This incident comes at a time when cases of women and girls being killed by their family members have been on the rise recently. According to reports, in recent weeks, at least six women have been murdered by their close relatives in the provinces of Badakhshan, Baghlan, Faryab, Herat, and Badghis. These killings highlight the increasing domestic violence under the shadow of the Taliban's restrictions and policies against women.

Zan News - Kabul: The Assembly of Human Rights Defenders (HRD+) has sharply criticized the unrestricted travels of Taliban officials abroad and has called on certain countries to stop normalizing and granting immunity to "war criminals and human rights violators" in Afghanistan. Assembly of Human Rights Defenders to Several Countries: Stop Normalizing and Granting Immunity to the Taliban June 11, 2024 Zan News Zan News - Kabul: The Assembly of Human Rights Defenders (HRD+) has sharply criticized the unrestricted travels of Taliban officials abroad and has called on certain countries to stop normalizing and granting immunity to "war criminals and human rights violators" in Afghanistan. In a statement released on Sunday (June 9), the Assembly said that recently some governments have been attempting to grant immunity to "the most notorious anti-human rights figures and war criminals" whose names are on international blacklists. The Assembly of Human Rights Defenders strongly criticized and condemned this approach in their statement. The Assembly also accused Russia of normalizing relations with the Taliban, stating that Russia invited the Taliban's Minister of Education and Higher Education while millions of Afghan girls have been deprived of their right to education by the group. The Assembly also condemned the travel of Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban's Minister of Interior, and Abdul Haq Wasiq, the head of the Taliban's intelligence, to the United Arab Emirates, accusing the country of hosting "terrorists and human rights violators." The Assembly called on the media and civil society activists to launch a nationwide advocacy campaign against "granting immunity to criminals" and the widespread human rights violations in Afghanistan. The Assembly also urged the United Nations Sanctions Monitoring Committee to take decisive and preventive actions to maintain sanctions against the Taliban and to ban their travel. The Assembly warned that otherwise, people around the world would lose trust in the United Nations' legal and political programs. This statement from the Assembly of Human Rights Defenders comes as, in the past two weeks, at least eight senior Taliban officials have traveled to various countries, including Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia. The United Nations Security Council Sanctions Monitoring Committee also granted travel permits last week to at least four Taliban officials, including Sirajuddin Haqqani, who is on the United States' most-wanted list.

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.