Taliban Spokesman Alters Ministry Name On X To Bypass Platform Rules

In a statement issued on Wednesday, 6 August, the women urged the United Nations to immediately halt the forced return of Afghan refugees from neighbouring states, warning of severe and irreversible consequences.

The statement, released by the women’s rights group Window of Hope and shared with Afghanistan International, described the expulsions as a direct threat to the lives of thousands of women, children and families who fled persecution, war and tyranny.

The group warned that sending women and girls back to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan is effectively returning them to “hell” where they are denied education, employment, freedom of movement and the right to live with dignity.

The statement also highlighted a rise in gender-based violence, increased suicide rates among women and girls, growing poverty, homelessness and worsening humanitarian conditions as likely outcomes of continued deportations.

Window of Hope called on the United Nations, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), international human rights organisations and governments to urgently establish a UN-led monitoring and protection mechanism specifically for Afghan migrant women. The group said such a framework is essential to prevent further expulsions and to protect those most at risk.

The group concluded that the deportation of Afghan women under current conditions constitutes complicity in gender apartheid.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Lindsay confirmed that a meeting had been convened to address the ongoing human rights crisis in Afghanistan. The meeting was attended by the Asia director of Human Rights Watch, the UN special rapporteur on the situation in Afghanistan, and several human rights activists.

Since seizing power in August 2021, the Taliban have been accused of widespread human rights abuses, including the suppression of fundamental freedoms and systemic discrimination against women and girls.

Human rights organisations have documented a range of restrictive policies imposed by the group, including bans on girls’ education, restrictions on women’s employment, and crackdowns on freedom of expression, assembly and dissent.

The UK and other international actors continue to call for mechanisms to ensure that those responsible for rights violations in Afghanistan are held to account under international law.

According to separate statements released on Tuesday, the court said nine people in Kabul were convicted of “selling and trafficking drugs” and sentenced to between 10 and 20 lashes, in addition to prison terms ranging from one to 18 months.

In a separate case, one individual in Maidan Wardak was convicted of theft and sentenced to 39 lashes.

The Taliban has regularly reported corporal punishments since returning to power in August 2021, including public floggings and executions. The group claims these practices are in line with Islamic Sharia law.

However, human rights organisations have condemned the Taliban’s judicial process, stating that it lacks fundamental legal safeguards. Defendants often do not have access to legal representation, and trials are conducted behind closed doors.

The United Nations has repeatedly urged the Taliban to end corporal punishment, calling it a violation of international human rights standards.

The meeting included business figures from Turkiye, Qatar, Bahrain, Palestine, Yemen, Oman, Jordan, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, Malaysia and India.

During the meeting, Azizi highlighted what he described as investment opportunities and a favourable business environment in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan has historically relied heavily on imports and international aid. Since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, much of that aid has been suspended, and many foreign investors have withdrawn from the country due to security concerns and a lack of international recognition.

Despite remaining largely politically and economically isolated, with Russia being the only country to formally accept Taliban diplomats, the group continues to seek foreign investment as a means of revitalising the Afghan economy.

The source stated that US pressure on the Taliban over the issue is “just beginning,” as Washington seeks accountability for Habibi’s detention.

Muttaqi was scheduled to lead a Taliban delegation on a three-day official visit to Pakistan beginning Monday, 5 August. However, sources in Kabul said the trip was postponed due to “technical issues.”

Afghanistan International has since learned that the UN Security Council’s 1988 Sanctions Committee has not yet granted Muttaqi a travel exemption, required for sanctioned Taliban officials to travel internationally. These exemptions are typically requested by the host nation, but it appears Pakistan either did not submit a formal request or failed to secure approval.

On Tuesday, 6 August, a US official confirmed that the Trump administration intervened to prevent Muttaqi’s travel after receiving credible witness testimony confirming that the Taliban is detaining Habibi at its intelligence headquarters in Kabul.

“For the Taliban, the counterpart now is Trump, not Biden, and Trump does not play soft when it comes to bringing Americans home,” the source said. “If the Taliban want any progress in relations, they must admit to detaining Habibi.”

The source added: “Denying something the United States is certain of is a game the Taliban will lose.”

Habibi, the former head of Afghanistan’s Civil Aviation Authority, was arrested by Taliban intelligence in Kabul in August 2022 along with several of his former colleagues. All but two of the detainees have reportedly been released, though the Taliban has provided no official information about Habibi’s whereabouts or condition.

Earlier this year, the US State Department announced a $5 million reward for credible information leading to Habibi’s return.

The Taliban has consistently denied holding Habibi and has made no public statements in response to Washington’s statements.