Three Female Protesters & Their Brother Released From Taliban Prison In Kabul

Apr 5, 2024, 16:26 GMT+1

The Rezaei family has confirmed to Afghanistan International that three of their daughters and one son have been released from Taliban’s detention.

Azada Rezaei (25), Nadia Rezaei (17), Elaha Rezaei (14), along with their brother Yahya Rezaei (22), were detained on March 27 in western Kabul.

Family members reported that the four individuals were released from prison on Monday, April 1. They declined to provide details about their health condition.

Sources close to the detained girls informed Afghanistan International on March 29 that Taliban forces raided the Rezaei family's home in Dashte Barchi area of Kabul around 6pm on March 27, detaining the three girls and their brother.

Earlier, the Taliban had also detained Tamana Rezaei, another sister of these three women activists, and released her after 29 days.

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Despite Taliban’s Dissolution of Parties, Hekmatyar Appears With Party Flag

Apr 5, 2024, 15:33 GMT+1

Members of Hezb-e-Islami party have shared images on social media showing Gulbuddin Hekmatyar receiving his supporters at his new home with his party's flag behind him.

These images surfaced even though the Taliban's Ministry of Justice has emphasised on the prohibition of activities of political parties in Afghanistan through a statement.

On Thursday, the Taliban's Ministry of Justice declared that political party activities are "illegal”. The ministry warned political activists of "legal and religious" consequences for repeating political activities.

This Taliban ministry stated that political party activities have been declared as a prohibited act following the group’s takeover of power in 2021, and the directorate of political parties has been revoked and removed from the ministry's structures.

The ministry noted that some officials of political parties have recently "taken action and performed activities from their dissolved party addresses”.

Shortly after the official warning from the Ministry of Justice, promotional pages belonging to the Hezb-e-Islami Party, led by Hekmatyar, published photos of the party leader meeting with his guests at his new residence.

In these images, Hekmatyar is seen with the flag of the party next to his chair.

Previously, Habib-ur-Rahman Hekmatyar, the son of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, responded to the statements made by the Taliban's Minister of Justice, highlighting that numerous past regimes had opposed Hezb-e-Islami. However, rather than fading away, the party has grown stronger. He underscored that Hezb-e-Islami "will not dissolve or be erased by mere speeches”.

Last week, Abdul Hakim Sharei, the Taliban’s Minister of Justice warned Gulbuddin Hekmatyar that mentioning a political party in Afghanistan under the control of the group is considered a "crime”.

After several days of verbal confrontation, it seems that both sides are steadfast in their stances. The Taliban's insistence on banning political parties appears to be aimed at curbing Hekmatyar's political activities and disrupting his relations with party supporters.

However, Hekmatyar is also trying to show that he is not paying attention to the Taliban's ban on party activities and is persisting with his political endeavours.

Even Minor Mistakes Can Get Afghan Refugees Expelled, Warns Turkish Mayor

Apr 5, 2024, 14:22 GMT+1

Ozkan Yilmaz, the mayor of Ushak city in Turkey, has warned that Afghan and Syrian refugees in this town will face expulsion for even the slightest mistake.

This member of Erdogan’s opposition party also declared that he will not issue trade and work permits to these migrants.

Turkish media reported the mayor of Ushak's new statements on Thursday.

Yilmaz is a member of the Republican People's Party of Turkey, which has recently secured significant victories in local elections across major Turkish cities, boosting the hopes of its supporters for success in presidential and parliamentary elections.

He stressed that he opposes any further increase in Afghan and Syrian refugees into Ushak and will withhold trade and work permits from those residing there.

Turkey has ramped up its detention efforts against refugees, particularly Afghan refugees, in recent months.

The Turkish Interior Minister had announced increased inspection stops and patrols in various Turkish cities to identify and apprehend "illegal" refugees.

Taliban Fighter Killed in Takhar Province, Claims NRF

Apr 5, 2024, 13:24 GMT+1

The National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF), under the leadership of Ahmad Massoud, has reported that during an assault on a Taliban base in Takhar province on Friday night, one Taliban fighter has been killed and two others got injured.

As per the NRF, the clash lasted for approximately thirty minutes, resulting in the destruction of a Taliban vehicle.

The Taliban has not reacted to the incident yet.

The Front emphasised that its forces remained unharmed in this attack.

NRF is an anti-Taliban military and political faction that has persistently targeted Taliban positions across various areas over the past two and a half years.

Afghan And Iranian Women Unite Against 'Gender Apartheid'

Apr 5, 2024, 11:44 GMT+1

Hoda Khamosh, an advocate for women's rights in Afghanistan, announced that a group of women activists from Afghanistan and Iran have convened to push for the acknowledgment of "gender apartheid”.

Khamosh highlighted the group's plan to synchronise their protests to challenge this issue more effectively.

In a recent post on her X social media network account, she stated, "This inaugural meeting of Iranian and Afghan women is focused on eradicating gender apartheid. Our goal is to dismantle the patriarchal structures of the Taliban, which oppress women to consolidate their power, and confront the Islamic Republic of Iran's efforts to suppress and punish its citizens."

A photo shared by Khamosh from the virtual meeting showed the participation of Shukria Barakzai, a former member of the Afghan Parliament, and Masih Alinejad, a vocal critic of the Iranian government.

Alinejad recently named the new Persian year as "the year of unity between Iranians and Afghans against gender apartheid," in a Nowruz greeting, underlining the cross-national solidarity in the fight for women's rights.

Taliban Detains University Professor And Policy Critic

Apr 5, 2024, 10:20 GMT+1

Sources have confirmed the arrest of Najibullah Jamil, a university professor and outspoken critic of Taliban policies.

Initially supportive of the Taliban's return to power and their promise of security, Jamil's stance shifted as he openly criticised the group's oppressive regime and curtailment of civil liberties.

Reports indicate that the Taliban’s intelligence agency summoned Jamil on Wednesday and subsequently detained him upon his arrival at their office.

There has been no official comment from the Taliban regarding Jamil's arrest.

Recently, Jamil advocated for girls' educational rights on television, calling for the reopening of schools for female students.

His arrest has sparked outrage on social media, with commentators accusing the Taliban of trying to maintain a state of ignorance and repression among the Afghan population.

In his final post on the social media network X before his arrest, Jamil expressed his commitment to fighting for the Afghan people's civil, political, economic, and cultural rights. He described his advocacy as a "national duty and mission" to uphold the nation's identity, values, and voice.

Speculation has arisen that Jamil's arrest was influenced by his recent demands for the restoration of girls' education and a more inclusive governance system in Afghanistan.

In the last two and a half years, the Taliban has detained numerous female activists, academics, journalists, and policy critics.

Human rights organisations worldwide have demanded the release of these detained individuals, highlighting the Taliban's continued repression and violation of human rights.