Sent to Zan TV Amid the rising number of forced deportations of Afghan migrants from Iran, a group of Afghan and Iranian civil and human rights activists held a protest on Friday (4 July) in front of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Berlin, Germany. During the gathering, protesters chanted slogans such as “Stop the forced deportation of migrants!” and “End fascism in Iran!” demanding an end to the Iranian government's repressive policies against migrants. Participants described the deportations as a “clear violation of human rights” and a “racist move,” calling the expulsions without legal procedure an example of structural violence and discrimination. The protesters also addressed the situation of women in Afghanistan and accused the Taliban regime of enforcing gender apartheid. Slogans such as “Shame on the fascist republic,” “Afghanistan and Iran, captured by fascists,” and “No to deportation, no to discrimination” echoed in front of the Iranian embassy.

Photo: Wakil Kohsar/AFP Amid growing concerns over the treatment of Afghan migrants in neighboring countries, Richard Bennett, the UN Human Rights Council’s Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, says that hundreds of Afghan migrants, especially from ethnic and religious minority groups, have been arrested in Iran on charges of spying for Israel. On Saturday (5 July), Bennett wrote in a post on the social media platform X that Iranian police accuse Afghan migrants of espionage, subject them to violence, and use offensive language against them. Meanwhile, UN experts have also expressed concern over the migrants’ situation, stating that following recent Israeli attacks, Iranian police have arrested and tortured members of ethnic and religious minorities. Several returnees have told media outlets that they were repeatedly arrested by Iranian police and accused of spying.

Image Credit: AFP via Getty Images Following the Russian Federation’s recognition of the Taliban regime, a number of Afghan civil society organizations, protest movements, and human rights groups have issued a joint statement condemning the decision as “an endorsement of violence, denial of justice, and legitimization of gender apartheid,” warning that it could lead to increased repression, particularly against women, minorities, and independent voices. The statement asserts that the Taliban are not the legitimate representatives of the Afghan people and that they seized power through force, repression, and without any legal process. It also highlights widespread human rights violations committed by the Taliban, including the systematic exclusion of women and girls from education, employment, and social participation, torture and threats against former security personnel, severe censorship and arrests of journalists, and the complete collapse of independent media. The organizations state that Russia’s decision, made without any human rights conditions, not only violates the UN Charter and its resolutions, particularly Resolution 1325, but also legitimizes a regime that systematically tramples the rights of women, minorities, and dissenters. They warn that such a move opens the door to the normalization of relations with the Taliban at the global level and undermines the Afghan people’s trust in the international community. The statement calls on the Russian Federation to reconsider its decision and, instead of supporting a group that violates human rights, to contribute to international efforts for peace and justice in Afghanistan. It also urges the United Nations, the European Union, and regional countries to adopt a clear and rights-based stance to prevent the legitimization of the Taliban. This statement comes as the Taliban announced on Thursday (3 July) that their regime has been officially recognized by Russia. The Russian ambassador in Kabul confirmed the move, stating that the formal proposal was made by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Russia is the first country to recognize the Taliban regime since the group’s return to power in Afghanistan.

Social Media Pakistani media have reported that 350 Afghan students, including girls, have entered the country to continue their education through the “Allama Muhammad Iqbal” scholarship program. According to Dawn newspaper, in a report published on Saturday (5 July), these scholarships are being provided by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, and by September, an additional 50 students at the doctoral level and 100 students at the master's level are expected to arrive in Pakistan. According to the report, the Allama Muhammad Iqbal Scholarship Program is a major initiative by the Government of Pakistan, under which a total of 4,500 scholarships will be granted to Afghan students. This comes as the Taliban, after returning to power, have closed schools and universities to girls, leaving thousands of students deprived of education. For a limited number of them, educational opportunities abroad remain the only path to continue their academic journey.

Photo: AFP In the latest repressive move, the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture, by issuing a new directive titled “Policy on the Management of Political Programs (Talk Shows) in Afghanistan,” has further tightened the media space in the country. This policy, in terms of its scope and severity, is considered one of the most restrictive directives in the past two decades and effectively stifles any form of independent journalism. According to this directive, media outlets are required to submit the topics of any political program to the Ministry for prior approval before broadcasting. Analysts and program guests must also obtain a special identification card from the Taliban and prove their complete loyalty to the regime’s policies. Even the slightest criticism of the Taliban can result in the revocation of a media outlet’s license. This new policy is a clear imitation of media censorship models in authoritarian countries such as North Korea, China, and Iran. Like North Korea, the Taliban allow only the regime’s official narrative to be published; like China, they demand full pre-approval of content; and like Iran, they silence critics through threats and punishment. Experts believe that these measures are not aimed at creating media order but are a clear attempt to suppress free dialogue, eliminate dissenting voices, and impose Taliban ideology on society. While Afghanistan remains one of the most dangerous countries for journalists, this directive poses a serious threat to the lives and safety of media workers both inside and outside the country, especially those now facing the risk of deportation and forced return from Iran, Pakistan, or Turkey. The Free Speech Centre in Toronto, in a statement, strongly condemned this action by the Taliban and called for a firm response from the international community and immediate support for independent media and Afghan journalists.

Photo: MOHSEN KARIMI/AFP The international organization Save the Children says that in the month of June alone, more than 80,000 Afghan children have returned from Iran to Afghanistan, a figure that has doubled compared to the previous month and has placed Afghanistan's service infrastructure on the brink of collapse. According to the report published on Wednesday (2 July), 6,700 of these children were unaccompanied, and 39 percent of all the children were forcibly deported from Iran. Save the Children states that after the ceasefire was announced between Iran and Israel on the 29 June, more than 36,000 people entered Afghanistan from Iran in a single day. In response to this situation, the organization has set up two support centers in Herat province, providing psychological services and safe play spaces for children. Samira Sid Rahman, Advocacy Director at Save the Children, said, “Many families arrive with only what they can carry. They are tired, frightened, and worried.” She called on the international community not to remain indifferent and to take serious action in response to this crisis. Meanwhile, Sanjay Wijesekera, UNICEF’s Regional Director for South Asia, during a visit to the Islam Qala border, stated that thousands of children cross through this checkpoint into Afghanistan every day and are in urgent need of assistance. In a video message, he said, “A lot is being done, but the needs are immense.” Wijesekera emphasized that all partner organizations are striving to provide services. He urged the global community to take action to support these children. This comes as the United Nations Population Fund has announced that the total number of Afghan returnees from Iran and Pakistan has surpassed one million.

Photo: Olivier Blaise The Taliban police command in Kapisa province says that as a result of a clash between two families in the center of the province, three people, including one woman, have been killed. According to a statement from the command, the incident took place around 7 a.m. on Wednesday (2 July) in the village of "Mangalahi-e Nowabad" in the city of Mahmood Raqi, the capital of Kapisa province. The statement says that the conflict arose due to “verbal and honor-related tensions” between the two families, resulting in the deaths of two men and a 40-year-old woman. According to local sources, the perpetrators fled the scene after the incident. However, the Taliban have stated that they have arrested the father of one of those involved in the dispute and that efforts to apprehend the other suspects are ongoing. It is worth noting that similar incidents of violence, particularly due to land disputes and family issues, have previously been reported in several provinces of the country.

Photo: Anadolu/Getty Images In continuation of Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, an airstrike on Thursday (3 July) targeted a school in Gaza City that was sheltering Palestinian, resulting in the death of at least 12 people. According to the Gaza Civil Defense Agency, most of the victims of this attack were women and children. According to a report by France 24, quoting Mohammad Al-Mughair, the Civil Defense official in Gaza City, the attack targeted the Mustafa Hafiz School in the Al-Rimal neighborhood, a place where hundreds of families displaced by the ongoing war had taken refuge. In total, the number of casualties from Thursday’s Israeli attacks across Gaza has reached 25 people. In another attack, Israeli forces fired on an area distributing humanitarian aid in central Gaza, which, according to local officials, resulted in six deaths and many injuries. On the same day, three people died in Beit Lahia due to artillery shelling, one person in Jabalia, and three others in a refugee camp in the coastal area of Al-Mawasi. This is while Israel had previously declared Al-Mawasi a “safe zone” in December 2023, yet repeated attacks on this area continue. Palestinian women are once again among the primary victims of these attacks. “Umm Yaseen Abu Odeh,” a Gaza resident who had lost relatives and was present at Al-Shifa hospital after the attack, told AFP with tearful eyes, “This is no longer life. We cannot endure anymore… we have been fighting for a piece of bread for two years.” Israel has not yet issued an official statement regarding these attacks, but its army told AFP in response to questions that it is acting to “destroy Hamas’s military capabilities” and claims to be “acting in accordance with international law.” These attacks come as Donald Trump, the President of the United States, announced that Israel has agreed to a proposed 60-day ceasefire plan in Gaza. The plan aims to temporarily halt the war, facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid, and begin indirect talks to return the hostages. It is worth mentioning that since the beginning of the war in October 2023, more than 57,000 Palestinians, the majority of whom were civilians including women and children, have lost their lives due to Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip.

Photo: AFP Following the intensification of the deportation process of Afghan migrants from Iran, a number of them have protested against the violent, insulting, and illegal behavior of the Iranian police in an open letter published on Thursday (3 July). In this letter, it is stated that Afghan migrants are arbitrarily detained, accused of spying for Israel, and subjected to beatings. They have said that the Iranian police tear up their passports and residence documents and confiscate their belongings. The authors of this letter have called for the immediate intervention of international institutions, including the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). They have described the actions of the Iranian forces as a violation of human rights and have demanded immediate attention to the situation of the migrants and the provision of justice. At the same time, Nasir Ahmad Faiq, Afghanistan's permanent representative to the United Nations, has also called on the officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran to reconsider the decision to forcibly deport migrants, especially former military personnel. In a message on the social network X, he emphasized that the deportation of migrants must be carried out within the framework of human dignity and human rights standards, otherwise, there is a risk of a new humanitarian and security crisis in the region. Previously, the Coordination Council of Afghanistan Political and Consular Missions had also requested the Iranian government to respect the principle of human dignity in the process of returning migrants. Meanwhile, the Iranian government has recently intensified the forced deportation of Afghan migrants. Based on published reports, the average number of daily deportations has now reached around 30,000 people. International institutions have also expressed concern over this massive return and have stated that many of these migrants are facing an uncertain and troubling future.

Photo: REUTERS In their latest repressive move, the Taliban have begun identifying and marking the passports of a number of Afghan female students who recently returned to Afghanistan for a short time from Iran. This action, aimed at preventing them from resuming their education, has triggered strong reactions and serious concern among human rights organizations. Afghan human rights activists have reported that during the 12-day tension between Iran and Israel, several female students temporarily left Iran and returned to Afghanistan. However, upon their return, Taliban intelligence and security agencies marked their passports, an action with the clear intention of systematically depriving women of their right to education and continuing their academic exile. Continuation of a Misogynistic Policy This recent action is a continuation of the Taliban's repressive policies against women's rights, especially the right to education for girls. Previously, on the 23 August 2023, the Taliban had prevented a group of female students from departing Kabul Airport to their educational destinations abroad. At that time, dozens of girls, who had packed their academic dreams in their suitcases, were held back from flying; solely for being women and seeking knowledge. The Taliban, as an illegitimate, regressive, and misogynistic regime, have effectively destroyed the educational structure for girls over the past four years. By banning education beyond sixth grade, shutting down universities for women, restricting travel, imposing the requirement of a male guardian (mahram), and now officially identifying and threatening female students educated abroad, they have effectively deprived Afghan society of half of its human potential. Conclusion Through their misogynistic and anti-education policies, the Taliban have not only stripped half of society of their fundamental rights, but are now attempting to turn studying abroad into a distant dream for girls. Marking passports and imposing restrictions on return are yet another step in the project of building a “silent Afghanistan”, a land where knowledge, women, and freedom are all forbidden. Now is the time for the international community, human rights organizations, and advocates of education for all to raise their voices louder and take firmer action against the Taliban’s policy of gender and educational cleansing. Silence in the face of this crime is complicity with it.