Regional Countries’ National Security Advisors Meet in Moscow to Discuss Afghanistan

Mashal, 37, tore up his academic degrees on live TV to register his protest against the Taliban’s ban on Afghan girls from pursuing education.

He was arrested on February 2 after the Taliban accused Mashal of “provocative actions” and creating “chaos” that harms their rule.

The rights organisation, while stating that the Taliban have relentlessly silenced female protesters who peacefully chanted “bread, work, freedom” for all citizens of Afghanistan, said that Mashal’s arrest shows that the Taliban’s unwillingness to tolerate dissent is not limited to women, but extends to anyone who dreams of a rights-respecting and more equal Afghanistan.

In solidarity with his students and thousands of women and girls prevented from exercising their basic rights, Mashal had said, “If my sister and my mother can’t study, then I do not accept this education.” He then shut down the private university he managed, saying, “Education is either offered to all, or no one.” A few weeks later, he built a wooden cart and travelled around Kabul, handing out free books to the public. “It was apparently this peaceful act for which he got detained last Thursday,” HRW stated.

Meanwhile, February 2, 2023, marked 500 days since the Taliban banned Afghan girls from secondary education.

“Mashal’s sense of justice, solidarity, and dissent provided a ray of hope in a country where peaceful protests are often solely championed by women. Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021, public protests involving Afghan men standing up for women’s rights have been rare. It’s a vital step toward an understanding that all oppression is interconnected and the Taliban’s misogyny is ultimately harmful for all,” HRW emphasised in its statement.

The Afghan reporter published his photo and a WhatsApp contact number on Twitter and asked those in need of a kidney to contact him.

After the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in August 2021, thousands of Afghan people have migrated to neighbouring countries of Afghanistan. Hundreds of Afghan journalists, human rights activists, and civil society members have also fled the country for fear of Taliban pressures, threats, and restrictions.

Many of these journalists hoped that through the regional countries they should be able to migrate to third countries as asylum seekers. However, many of them still remain in Pakistan and Iran and are struggling with economic problems.

Earlier, several Afghan reporters have held protest gatherings in Pakistan and have asked right groups to support them.

The UN agency while admitting to challenges of assisting female-headed households said that it is mostly because of the latest Taliban ban on the work of Afghan women.

Recently, the Taliban has banned women from working with non-governmental organisations in Afghanistan.

Aid organisations have repeatedly stated that without female employees, they cannot help women and children in need in Afghanistan.

In a letter to Twitter Chief Executive Officer, Elon Musk, the lawmakers sought clarification regarding Twitter’s verification process and how it vets users’ identities.

According to the Washington Times, Pat Fallon, Keith Self, Ronny Jackson, and James Moylan, members of the US House of Representatives, warned Musk that terror groups may find loopholes to amplify their propaganda on Twitter.

The lawmakers have stressed in their letter that the United States doesn’t recognise the Taliban as a legitimate government in Afghanistan.

The representatives added, "We cannot allow these murderous groups to abuse American-based platforms to suppress women, religious freedom, democracy, and ethnic minorities."

After Twitter implemented a new subscription-based policy for buying verified blue ticks, several Taliban-associated accounts on Twitter have purchased blue ticks and share pro-Taliban content to thousands of followers on a daily basis.

According to SIGAR, USAID may go through MoU approvals on a case-by-case basis.

SIGAR said that since the US government doesn’t recognise Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan, USAID officials wouldn’t be able to witness document signing as is required by the organisation’s grant agreements.

So far, no government in the world has recognised the Taliban in Afghanistan. However, Taliban has said that the group enjoys diplomatic relations with regional countries.