Afghanistan International: The Spanish government has revoked the diplomatic immunity of Mohammad Rahim Peerzada, the Taliban’s acting ambassador in Madrid, following allegations of sexual assault and harassment. Peerzada is accused of using his position to target women, with reports suggesting he drugged and raped one victim. Click here to read more (external link).
Today, Afghan women face more than 100 restrictions — controlling everything from their appearance and movement to their right to work and study. Those accused of violating the Taliban’s so-called “morality laws” are often detained and arrested. What happens to those who suddenly find themselves behind bars in Taliban prisons? These stories often go untold,
Times of India: In Afghanistan, the brutal tradition of Bacha Bazi—the sexual exploitation of young boys—continues to thrive despite official bans and international condemnation. Footage, shared by British journalist and writer David Patrikarakos on social media, showed boys forced to dance for the Taliban, a harrowing precursor to systematic abuse. After the Taliban took control
Afghanistan International: Men styling themselves God’s soldiers are using sexual violence on captive women to inflict punishment not just on individuals but to intimidate all Afghan women from any role in society. The accounts of women violated and raped by Taliban members while in custody shared by the survivors with Afghanistan International paint a grim
Afghanistan International: Sources claimed that the five perpetrators of the gangrape are members of Niloufar’s husband’s family. According to them, one of the perpetrators has been identified as “Mayel Agha” and is a member of the Taliban in Kapisa. Earlier, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) in a report in December quoted some
The Guardian (UK): Destitute Afghan women arrested for begging under draconian new Taliban laws have spoken of “brutal” rapes and beatings in detention. Over the past few months, many women said they had been targeted by Taliban officials and detained under anti-begging laws passed this year. While in prison, they claim they were subjected to
Afghanistan International: Rainbow Afghanistan has published a report stating that LGBTQIA+ individuals are being tortured and sexually assaulted in Taliban prisons. The report shows that over the past three years, at least 98 LGBTQIA+ individuals have been publicly punished on various charges in 14 provinces of Afghanistan. Jannat Gul (pseudonym), who spent eight months in
Afghanistan International: Richard Bennett, the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, in his new report said that some “credible sources” testified about sexual harassment and rape of women inside Taliban prisons. Bennett added that he was deeply concerned by the numerous reports of sexual violence against women inside the Taliban’s prison. The United
The Conversation: Since returning to power three years ago, the Taliban have been enforcing oppressive laws that violate people’s freedoms and human rights, especially those of women and girls. But a newly passed “vice and virtue” law goes further. It is among the most repressive and discriminatory measures ever enacted by the Islamist fundamentalist group.
8am: The [Taliban] commander pointed his weapon at us and shouted, ‘Will you be quiet, or should I silence you myself?’ My daughters’ voices quieted, but they were trembling and silently crying. We sat down without speaking as they ordered. My children tried to hide in my arms out of fear. The commander’s gaze was