Taliban Arrest Six In Baghlan For Alleged Alcohol Consumption

In a statement issued Saturday, 12 July, the commission said a total of 505389 Afghan nationals entered the country through the Islam Qala and Pul-e Abrisham border crossings during the period.

According to the commission, 212322 individuals were forcibly deported, while 293067 returned voluntarily.

On Thursday, 11 July alone, Iranian authorities deported 32738 Afghans, the statement added. The following day, 30519 individuals crossed into Afghanistan via the two key border points.

The mass return of Afghan migrants from Iran continues amid mounting international concern over forced deportations and the capacity of Taliban and humanitarian agencies to support the growing influx.

In an interview with Welt TV, Dobrindt said he is open to establishing the necessary arrangements with the Taliban authorities to facilitate the return of Afghan offenders. “Deporting dangerous criminals and returning them to Afghanistan is in Germany’s national interest,” he said.

The remarks come despite Germany’s official stance of not recognising the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. However, Dobrindt argued that lack of formal recognition should not prevent cooperation on specific practical matters.

He added that even if the Taliban were to send a representative to Berlin, limited agreements on operational issues could still be reached without granting formal diplomatic recognition.

Dobrindt’s comments follow a deportation flight in August last year, the first since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021, in which 28 convicted Afghan nationals with no legal residency status were flown from Germany to Kabul.

Reports at the time indicated that Qatar acted as a mediator between Berlin and the Taliban administration to facilitate the process.

In a statement to Afghanistan International on Friday, Canada reiterated its concern over widespread human rights violations in Afghanistan, particularly those targeting women and girls under Taliban rule.

Last week, the ICC announced that arrest warrants had been issued for Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani. The court accuses both men of committing crimes against humanity, specifically the gender-based persecution of women and girls.

Canada reaffirmed its respect for the independence of the ICC Prosecutor’s Office and urged the Taliban to fulfil Afghanistan’s international obligations by protecting the rights of all citizens, including women, girls, and ethnic and religious minorities.

The Canadian Foreign Ministry added that it supports broader international efforts to hold perpetrators of serious violations of international law accountable.

Earlier this year, Canada joined Germany, the Netherlands, and Australia in filing a joint case against the Taliban at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague. The case focuses on systemic gender-based discrimination and has since gained the support of the United Nations and more than 20 other countries.

The ministry said Uzbekistan supports Afghanistan’s development and emphasised the importance of the country’s integration into regional and global supply chains.

Abdul Ghaffar Bahr, a close associate of Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, was appointed ambassador to Uzbekistan in September 2024.

While Uzbekistan has not formally recognised the Taliban government, it has accepted the group's envoy and maintains extensive diplomatic and economic relations with the Taliban administration.

Most incidents involved direct threats to media outlets and intimidation of journalists.

In a report released Friday, 11 July, the centre said the Taliban have imposed new restrictions on visual media, particularly television, citing the enforcement of the “Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice” law. The ban on broadcasting images of living beings has expanded from five provinces to an additional 14.

These measures have led to the closure of 26 outlets, primarily local television stations. Some have shut down entirely, while others have been converted to radio operations. The report also noted that two radio stations and one private TV channel were closed on accusations of collaborating with foreign media. They were only allowed to resume limited operations after agreeing to strict self-censorship.

20 Journalists Arrested

At least 20 journalists were arrested during this period, most on charges of “propaganda against the ruling administration.” Six have been sentenced to between six months and one year in prison and are currently held at Pul-e-Charkhi and Bagram prisons.

The report highlights increasing pressure on female journalists and media outlets led by women. In some provinces, local Taliban officials have reportedly made the renewal of media licences conditional on male ownership or management. In Kandahar, broadcasting women’s voices has been fully banned, as part of what the report describes as a systematic effort to remove women from media based on an extreme interpretation of Sharia law.

The financial crisis facing private media has also worsened due to declining international support, forcing many outlets to cut programming and lay off staff.

Political Programming Banned

In Kabul, the Taliban’s Ministry of Information and Culture has reportedly banned political and economic discussions from being broadcast, further limiting public access to information.

The Afghanistan Journalists Centre warned of the long-term consequences of ongoing media repression and called on the Taliban to uphold press freedom under existing laws.

It also urged the international community to increase pressure on the Taliban to protect independent journalism and support a pluralistic media environment in Afghanistan.