Taliban Burns Hundreds Of Musical Instruments In Parwan & Laghman

Marzieh Hamidi, an Afghan taekwondo athlete, received the International Women’s Rights Award, while Iranian journalist and activist Masih Alinejad was honoured with the summit’s Courage Award.

Hamidi is regarded as one of the prominent figures in Afghan women’s sport. She moved to France after the Taliban returned to power in 2021 and has continued her taekwondo career there.

Alinejad, a journalist, author and women’s rights activist, founded the “My Stealthy Freedom” campaign opposing compulsory hijab in Iran. A former parliamentary reporter in Iran, she left the country after the disputed 2009 presidential election and now lives in the United States. She is considered one of the most prominent opposition figures to the Islamic Republic abroad and serves as president of the World Liberty Congress.

While accepting the award, Alinejad spoke about the Iranian authorities’ response to protesters and dedicated the prize to the people of Iran and victims of recent demonstrations. She called on European leaders to support those affected by the protests.

Alinejad also criticised UN Secretary-General António Guterres for inviting Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to address the UN Human Rights Council. Referring to the treatment of protesters and the human rights situation in Iran, she said the situation was “a slap in the face of the international community”.

During her speech, Alinejad tore images of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other political figures, including former president Hassan Rouhani and president Masoud Pezeshkian.

Each year, ahead of the main session of the UN Human Rights Council, the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy brings together political dissidents, activists, victims of human rights violations, diplomats, journalists and student leaders to highlight urgent global human rights concerns. The conference is organised with the support of a coalition of 25 human rights organisations.

Alongside Hamidi and Alinejad, Venezuelan political activist Pedro Urruchurtu Noselli was also recognised for his work. A university professor and political scientist, he serves as international coordinator of the Vente Venezuela party and is a leading figure in the opposition coalition advocating democratic transition in Venezuela.

Urruchurtu sought refuge in the Argentine embassy in Caracas in March 2024 to avoid arrest and remained there for more than 400 days before being freed in May 2025 through an international operation.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, 18 February, the court said the individuals each received 39 lashes and were sentenced to between one and two years in prison.

The Supreme Court said the punishments were carried out in public in the presence of civilian and military officials, religious scholars, local representatives, court visitors and members of the public.

According to the court’s statements, one woman and two men were flogged in Balkh province, while one woman and one man were punished in Parwan province.

Over the past two weeks, the Taliban have publicly flogged at least 53 people, including women, across Afghanistan on various charges, according to official announcements.

The punishments have continued despite criticism from international organisations that oppose corporal punishment and the treatment of detainees. Taliban officials describe the penalties as the implementation of Islamic law.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, 18 February, the group said that, as in previous years, it would unilaterally pause its operations during Ramadan. It added that no attacks would be carried out until the end of the Eid holidays unless its positions or bases faced direct attack or threat.

The anti-Taliban political and military group said it would respond if it observed what it described as provocative actions by the Taliban, including the harassment of civilians, particularly women.

The Afghanistan Freedom Front also extended Ramadan greetings to Muslims in Afghanistan and worldwide, saying it would resume operations against what it called the Taliban’s “repressive administration” after the Eid holidays.

In a statement, the company said the agreement was signed during a visit to Tehran by a Breshna delegation that held talks with Iranian energy officials.

According to the statement, Abdulhaq Hamkar, head of Breshna, met with representatives of Iran’s electricity transmission and distribution company in Tehran.

Taliban remains heavily dependent on imported electricity. The country currently produces only about 200 megawatts of power domestically, while total demand is estimated at around 7,000 megawatts, according to Breshna.

Afghanistan imports electricity from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Iran. Electricity supplied by Uzbekistan is one of the country’s primary energy sources, providing power to much of Kabul and several other provinces.

The Taliban’s deputy spokesperson said on Tuesday, 17 February, that Akhundzada delivered the speech at Kandahar provincial hall.

According to a Taliban statement, Akhundzada urged unity among officials and religious scholars, encouraging them to obey one another and consult collectively. He said the strength or weakness of the political system depended on their actions and that it would endure if they remained vigilant.

He said the survival, success and preservation of what he described as an Islamic system depended on religious knowledge, adding that expanding and strengthening religious education was among the administration’s most important responsibilities.

The deputy spokesperson said the Taliban governor of Kandahar, the head of the administrative office, the chief of the Afghan Red Crescent, the military deputy of the supreme court and other officials attended the gathering.

According to the statement, Akhundzada also warned officials not to be drawn to worldly positions and urged them to remain obedient, saying such obedience was in their own interest. He added that officials should not seek recognition from others for their obedience.

He also instructed Taliban officials to promote obedience among the public, saying it would lead to unity and strength.

The statement said Akhundzada thanked the people and religious scholars of Afghanistan for what he described as their obedience to the Islamic Emirate. Participants at the meeting renewed their pledge of allegiance to him, the Taliban spokesperson said.