8am: Over the past five years, the Taliban have repeatedly been accused of taking revenge against the country’s citizens. The group arrests, imprisons, and tortures individuals who criticize Taliban rule. The Taliban have also officially declared that criticizing their rule is considered a crime, and they have blocked any form of civic and political activity
Khaama: Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Wednesday that demonstrations are associated with democratic and republican systems and have no place under Islamic law, defending the group’s recently enacted ban on protests across Afghanistan. Mujahid made the remarks at a press conference in Kabul in response to a question about the prohibition on demonstrations under the
Afghanistan International: The Taliban on Saturday published a new law governing the “Shurta”, the term it uses for police, banning “all demonstrations throughout Afghanistan”. The group had previously changed the name of the police to “Shurta”, an Arabic term meaning police. Click here to read more (external link). More New Taliban Police Law Allows Death
NPR: Across Afghanistan, smartphones have become part of a fragile support system. Families use them to consult doctors remotely, arrange transport to distant clinics, send photos of wounds and symptoms, ask relatives for money, document abuse and reach schooling that is no longer available in person to many girls and women. That fragile network is
Amu: The order prohibits civilian and military employees from using smartphones in public offices across the province. The ban also comes amid a wider Taliban effort to tighten control over information. Over the past year, authorities have imposed restrictions on visual media in several provinces and expanded enforcement of regulations issued by the Taliban Ministry
8am: Several government employees under Taliban control say the group has imposed a ban on smartphone use across all institutions. They add that the Taliban have warned that anyone defying the order will be referred to the group’s military court and have their smartphones destroyed. Employees say the measure was issued on the verbal order
8am: The Taliban’s Central Fatwa Council (the Fatwa Council), acting on orders from Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, has prepared a treatise titled “The Effects of Obedience in Strengthening the Islamic System” and distributed it widely among the public and the group’s fighters. The Taliban stated that the work was produced for “the general public”
Khaama: Local sources in Bamyan say Taliban authorities shut down the Baran Health Sciences Institute, detained several staff members and sealed the institute for a second time. Sources said one of the institute’s founders, administrative officials and several teachers were detained during the raid earlier this week. Some staff members were later released, but the
Afghanistan International: According to the officials, participants at the meeting were informed that, on the orders of Mullah Abdul Ahad Fazli, public access to the internet would be further restricted and residential fibre-optic internet services disconnected. One company official said the move could have serious economic consequences. “If this order is implemented, not only will
Khaama: Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani said on Friday in Khost province that a government ruling through “fear and force” cannot be considered legitimate, implicitly acknowledging the use of intimidation by the Taliban. Speaking to a crowd of locals, Haqqani stressed that leaders should not humiliate or condemn citizens, and that a government should foster