Zan News: Fawzia Koofi, a former member of Afghanistan's House of Representatives, has won the 2024 "Asian Women Achievement Award" for her work in women's rights after the Taliban takeover. Fawzia Koofi Wins the 2024 Asian Women Achievement Award June 8, 2024 Zan News Zan News: Fawzia Koofi, a former member of Afghanistan's House of Representatives, has won the 2024 "Asian Women Achievement Award" for her work in women's rights after the Taliban takeover. The award ceremony took place on Thursday, June 6, in London. This award has been given annually for the past 25 years to Asian women who have been active in the United Kingdom. Previously, in 2022, Humaira Rezai from Afghanistan won this award for her human rights activities.

Zan News: The Taliban's Supreme Court announced on Wednesday (April 9) that a woman in Sar-e-Pul province was publicly flogged on charges of "illicit relations." Photo: @SupremeCourt_af on X Taliban Flogged a Woman in Sar-e-Pul April 9, 2025 Zan News Zan News: The Taliban's Supreme Court announced on Wednesday (April 9) that a woman in Sar-e-Pul province was publicly flogged on charges of "illicit relations." According to the statement, the Taliban's criminal court in Sar-e-Pul sentenced the woman to 39 lashes and one year of enforced imprisonment. The Taliban's Supreme Court added that this sentence was carried out in the presence of local officials, government employees, military personnel of the group, and court visitors. It is noteworthy that since the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, the group has repeatedly carried out public corporal punishments against citizens, and to date, six people have been executed in front of hundreds of spectators. International human rights organizations consider these actions by the Taliban to be violations of human rights principles and contrary to international law.

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Zan News: On the eve of the third anniversary of the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, the Afghanistan Women's Political Participation Network has labeled August 15th as a "dark and ominous day" for the country and has called on the international community to support the Afghan people. Sent to Zan TV Afghanistan Women's Political Participation Network Calls August 15th a Dark and Ominous Day for the People of Afghanistan August 7, 2024 Zan News Zan News: On the eve of the third anniversary of the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, the Afghanistan Women's Political Participation Network has labeled August 15th as a "dark and ominous day" for the country and has called on the international community to support the Afghan people. In a statement released on Tuesday (August 6), the network described August 15th as the day when "the international community handed over Afghanistan to the Taliban, destroying the lives of millions of Afghans." According to the network, this day symbolizes the unwarranted transfer of power to a "terrorist group" and the crushing of the hopes and dreams of the Afghan people. The network emphasized that "this bitter day should serve as a reminder for the unity and solidarity of the Afghan people to strive for the restoration of freedom, justice, and human rights." It also stressed that Afghanistan should not be forgotten and that a strong global movement for the country's freedom should be formed. The statement noted that "Afghan women have historically faced numerous challenges and hardships, and the situation for women under the Taliban has reached its most critical point. Women have been deprived of their fundamental rights and face issues such as domestic violence, forced marriages, gender discrimination, and lack of access to higher education." The Afghanistan Women's Political Participation Network also mentioned that "since the Taliban's takeover, more than 65 written decrees and numerous unwritten orders and ruthless regulations have been issued, resulting in the restriction and persecution of the people, especially women and girls. The Taliban, through establishing desert courts, proxy wars, massacres, and assaults, have proven to be dangerous for Afghanistan and the world." The network has called on the international community to recognize the gender apartheid in Afghanistan, to oust the Taliban from power, and to bring them to justice. In conclusion, the Afghanistan Women's Political Participation Network urged the international community to listen to the voices of the Afghan people regarding the problems the Taliban have caused, to cease supporting the Taliban, and to continue political pressures and sanctions on this group, especially on their "criminal" leaders. The statement ends with the slogan "Education, Work, Freedom," emphasizing that the Afghan people do not accept the Taliban and will continue to fight until Afghanistan is free.

Zan News - Kabul: The Taliban's Ministry of Education announced in a post on their X page that Habibullah Agha, the acting head of the ministry, has traveled to Russia. Taliban's Minister of Education Traveled to Russia to Discuss their Achievements while Millions of Afghan Girls are Deprived of Education June 8, 2024 Zan News Zan News - Kabul: The Taliban's Ministry of Education announced in a post on their X page that Habibullah Agha, the acting head of the ministry, has traveled to Russia. Mansoor Ahmad Hamza, the ministry's spokesperson, stated that Habibullah Agha left for the city of Kazan, Russia, on Saturday, June 8. The Minister of Education is scheduled to attend the second four-day Global Meeting of Ministers of Education. According to Hamza, Habibullah Agha will speak at this meeting about the ministry's achievements, the state of education, and its opportunities and challenges. He will also meet and converse with education ministers from various countries on the sidelines of this meeting. The acting Minister of Education of the Taliban has attended this meeting of education ministers from different countries in Russia, while the fact that the group, in violation of international and human rights principles, has prevented approximately four million female students from attending school over the past three years.

Zan News - Farah: Local sources in Farah province report that three members of a family were killed by unknown gunmen in the province. Three Family Members Killed by Unknown Gunmen in Farah May 27, 2024 Zan News Zan News - Farah: Local sources in Farah province report that three members of a family were killed by unknown gunmen in the province. The incident took place on Sunday night (May 26) in the village of Faizabad in the Golestan district of Farah province. According to sources, unknown gunmen entered a house in the village of Faizabad at night and killed a man along with his wife and son. The motive for the killings has not yet been determined, but local sources say the family were civilians and had no personal enemies. Taliban officials in Farah have not yet commented on the incident. This is the second such incident in Farah province in the past two months. About two months ago, unknown gunmen attacked a mosque in the province, killing at least three people.

Zan News: Afghan women activists, after holding a three-day meeting in Albania, issued a resolution describing the current situation of women in the country as “gender apartheid” and “gender-based persecution.” Photo: Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Albania Afghan Women Activists Meeting in Albania; The Current Situation of Women in Afghanistan is Gender-Based Persecution September 16, 2024 Zan News Zan News: Afghan women activists, after holding a three-day meeting in Albania, issued a resolution describing the current situation of women in the country as “gender apartheid” and “gender-based persecution.” This meeting was held from September 11 to 13 in Tirana, the capital of Albania, with the participation of women activists from inside and outside Afghanistan. The resolution of this meeting pointed out that one of the main gaps in recognizing gender apartheid in international laws lies in the lack of political will among UN member states to recognize this situation as a crime against humanity. The women activists called for decisive action by the international community to hold the Taliban accountable for human rights violations and to recognize gender apartheid as a crime against humanity. In this meeting, the international community was urged to use existing international mechanisms, including the International Criminal Court, to hold the Taliban accountable for human rights violations. Additionally, the resolution emphasized the allocation of resources for documenting human rights violations in Afghanistan, reopening schools and universities for girls with assurance of education according to international standards and digital literacy, and the return of women to work with dignity and income. Participants in this meeting also called for increased transparency in the distribution of international aid, better coordination of this aid with women-led organizations, and facilitating women’s access to international markets. Part of the resolution stated that issues such as the presence of women in meetings and dialogues with the Taliban, consulting women on the agenda of these talks, and human rights principles in negotiations with the Taliban were approved in the working committees of this meeting, but no consensus was reached in the general meeting. This meeting was organized by the “Women for Afghanistan” organization and hosted by the Albanian government. Rina Amiri, the U.S. Special Envoy for Afghan Women and Girls, was also present.

Zan News - Pakistan: With the Taliban's rise to power in August 2021, Afghanistan witnessed the third large-scale migration of people. Prior to this, Afghans had abandoned their homes during the 1979 "Jihad" against the Soviet Union and later during the U.S. and allied forces' operations against the Taliban regime after 9/11. Estimates suggest that after the Taliban's recent takeover, six hundred thousand people fled Afghanistan to Pakistan. However, according to aid organizations, this time around, approximately one million refugees have arrived, most of whom lack legal documentation. Reuters The Plight of Afghan Refugees in Pakistan: Returning to Afghanistan Amid Life-Threatening Risks February 6, 2025 Muhammad Jawad - Pakistan Zan News - Pakistan: With the Taliban's rise to power in August 2021, Afghanistan witnessed the third large-scale migration of people. Prior to this, Afghans had abandoned their homes during the 1979 "Jihad" against the Soviet Union and later during the U.S. and allied forces' operations against the Taliban regime after 9/11. Estimates suggest that after the Taliban's recent takeover, six hundred thousand people fled Afghanistan to Pakistan. However, according to aid organizations, this time around, approximately one million refugees have arrived, most of whom lack legal documentation. Safia Bibi (pseudonym), who previously served as a prosecutor in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, currently lives in Islamabad with three female family members and children in a house. She said that a few weeks ago, her brother went to the market to buy daily necessities, where he was arrested by the police and deported to Afghanistan because his visa had expired. Safia Bibi stated that her brother had served in a high-ranking position within the Afghan police force, which now puts his life at serious risk. She added, "The deportation has left us facing countless challenges, but the biggest concern is the safety of my brother, who is no longer secure in Afghanistan." The former prosecutor mentioned that she had registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) two years ago, but they told her they would contact her after three months. However, no progress has been made to date. "My mobile phone is completely broken, so I go to the UNHCR office every week to inquire about my case, but no one there provides guidance or allows me to enter inside," Safia Bibi said with frustration. This situation is not only faced by Safia Bibi but has also become a source of uncertainty and difficulties for many other Afghan refugees, who are dealing with harsh conditions due to their lack of legal status in Pakistan. Nasima Bibi (pseudonym), an Afghan widow residing in Peshawar, is the sole breadwinner for her family. She supports the education of her three sons and covers household expenses through sewing and embroidery. Due to the Taliban's strict laws, particularly the ban on women leaving their homes without a male guardian, she migrated to Pakistan for the better future of her children. Nasima Bibi says, "There are no men in the house. If I return to Afghanistan, I will neither be able to work nor continue my children's education, so I cannot even imagine going back." However, the ongoing operations against illegal migrants in Pakistan have caused severe difficulties for her. My visa has expired, and because of this, my landlord tells me every day that the police have prohibited renting houses to illegal migrants. Now, I must quickly find another place, but I have no alternatives nor the means to afford additional expenses. An Afghan refugee living in Peshawar, Nabila Bibi, says that her husband passed away six years ago due to illness, and since then, she has been solely responsible for raising her children. She supports her children through hard labor, while her eldest son, who is only 15 years old, works as a loader (carrying goods) in a vegetable market. Nabila Bibi said, "My son's employer told him to leave for Afghanistan as soon as possible. 'You are an orphan. If the police arrest and imprison you, where will your mother find work to get you released?'" Upon hearing these words, her son returned home in tears and told his mother that they must go back to Afghanistan. Like Nabila Bibi, countless Afghan refugees are currently facing an uncertain fate. The Pakistani government's measures to expel illegal migrants have most severely affected those Afghans who fled to Pakistan three years ago due to fear of the Taliban. Among these migrants is a significant portion of educated individuals who, after seeking refuge in Pakistan, are now awaiting relocation to a third country. However, due to strict government policies and legal complications, staying in Pakistan is becoming increasingly difficult by the day. These individuals, who came to Pakistan to safeguard their lives, have now registered with the United Nations and are waiting for relocation to other countries. However, delays in the visa application process on one hand and the actions taken against them by Pakistani authorities on the other have further worsened their situation.

Zan News - Kabul: The Taliban disrupted the opening ceremony of a women's cafe and library called "Women's Dream" which was established by four young girls in Kabul. Taliban Disrupt Opening Ceremony of Women's Coffee Shop and Library in Kabul May 30, 2024 Zan News Zan News - Kabul: The Taliban disrupted the opening ceremony of a women's cafe and library called "Women's Dream" which was established by four young girls in Kabul. According to sources, the cafe and library, which was launched with the aim of creating a safe space for women to relax and study, was scheduled to open on Wednesday (May 29) in the Khair Khana area of Kabul. According to eyewitnesses, two Taliban fighters armed with guns entered the venue of the opening ceremony and stopped the program. Sources say that the Taliban, under the pretext of not having a license from the relevant district department, prevented the opening ceremony and its operation. This is while it is said that these girls had received a permit from the 11th district of Kabul two days ago to hold the ceremony, but the Taliban fighters warned the girls that they had to go back to the district department and obtain a permit. It is said that these four young girls have created this cafe at a cost of more than 10,000 afghanis and the purpose of its establishment is to provide a safe place for women to relax. This is while the Taliban, after taking over Afghanistan, have always claimed that women's work in the private sector is still ongoing, however, the group's actions against women's work have always been the opposite.

Zan News: Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights for Afghanistan, has called for support for human rights activists in Afghanistan on the occasion of International Human Rights Day. Photo: flickr Richard Bennett Calls for Support for Human Rights Activists in Afghanistan December 10, 2024 Zan News Zan News: Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights for Afghanistan, has called for support for human rights activists in Afghanistan on the occasion of International Human Rights Day. On Tuesday (December 10), Mr. Bennett wrote in a message on X, praising the resistance and courage of those currently in Afghanistan advocating for their rights. He added that the citizens of Afghanistan are facing gender-based harassment, restrictions on civil space, torture and ill-treatment, marginalization of ethnic minorities, and a humanitarian crisis. The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights emphasized, "Let's all stand by them!" These remarks come at a time when, after regaining control of Afghanistan, the Taliban have widely violated the human rights of the country's citizens.