The Lingering Shadow Of Violence: Afghanistan's Struggle Against Assaults

Afghanistan has been in a state of war for decades, with the most recent conflict lasting from 2001 to 2021. The war was sparked by the September 11 attacks, which led to an international military coalition led by the United States launching an invasion of Afghanistan. The conflict ended with the Taliban offensive in 2021, which overthrew the Islamic Republic and re-established the Islamic Emirate.

Since the Taliban's return to power, there have been concerns about the safety of civilians, particularly women and girls, as well as the potential for a resurgence of terrorist groups. The Taliban have been accused of committing war crimes and human rights abuses, including the targeted killing of civilians, restrictions on women's rights and freedom of media, and extrajudicial killings.

While the Taliban have denied the presence of terrorist groups within Afghanistan, there are reports that groups such as al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS-KP) continue to operate within the country. The presence of these groups poses a security threat not only to Afghanistan but also to the wider region and the West.

The Taliban have also faced armed opposition from groups such as the National Resistance Front and the Islamic State Khorasan Province (IS-KP). These groups have carried out attacks on Taliban forces and attempted to establish control in certain regions of the country.

Overall, while the level of violence has decreased since the Taliban took power, there are still concerns about the potential for further conflict and human rights abuses. The Taliban's ability to maintain control and ensure the security of the country remains uncertain.

The Taliban's human rights violations

• Arbitrary killings, including targeted killings
• Forced disappearances
• Torture, or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment
• Harsh and life-threatening prison conditions
• Arbitrary arrest or detention
• Political prisoners or detainees
• Arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy
• Punishment of family members for alleged offenses of a relative
• Serious abuses in conflict, including widespread civilian deaths or harm, enforced disappearances and abductions, torture, and unlawful recruitment and use of child soldiers
• Serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media
• Serious restrictions on internet freedom
• Substantial interference with freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association
• Severe restrictions on religious freedom
• Restrictions on freedom of movement and residence and on the right to leave the country
• Inability of citizens to change their government peacefully through free and fair elections
• Serious and unreasonable restrictions on political participation
• Serious corruption
• Serious restrictions on and harassment of domestic and international human rights organizations
• Lack of investigation of and accountability for gender-based violence, including domestic and intimate partner violence, sexual violence, child, early, and forced marriage, and other harmful practices
• Substantial barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health services
• Violence or threats of violence targeting members of ethnic and religious minority groups
• Trafficking in persons
• Violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex persons
• Existence and enforcement of laws criminalizing consensual same-sex sexual conduct
• Severe restrictions on workers' freedom of association
• The existence of the worst forms of child labor

The Taliban's treatment of women

One of the most notable impacts of Taliban rule has been the restriction on women's access to education. Girls have been banned from attending secondary school and university, with only primary schools for girls remaining open. This has had a devastating impact on the prospects of Afghan women and girls, with many describing feelings of hopelessness and a loss of future opportunities. The Taliban have also imposed strict dress codes, requiring women to wear the burqa or a face covering in public and banning them from wearing high-heeled shoes.

Women's employment opportunities have been severely limited, with women banned from working in most sectors beyond health and education. They have also been barred from working for international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and women's empowerment projects. The Taliban have further restricted women's freedom of movement by prohibiting them from travelling outside the country or even leaving their homes without a male chaperone, or "mahram".

The Taliban's policies have had a significant impact on the mental health of women and girls, with reports of depression and suicide, particularly among adolescent girls who are prevented from pursuing education. Women have also faced increased domestic violence, with little legal protection or recourse available to them.

The Taliban's treatment of journalists

In 2021, two reporters for the Etilaatroz newspaper, Taqi Daryabi and Nematullah Naqdi, were detained by the Taliban while covering a women's protest in Kabul. They were beaten and tortured during their detention, as were four of their colleagues who went to the police station to inquire about their whereabouts. The Taliban has also been accused of issuing vague media rules that do not clearly outline the boundaries for journalists, leaving them uncertain about what they can and cannot do.

Journalists have also been threatened and intimidated by the Taliban for reporting on issues such as Taliban military operations, civilian casualties, and assassinations. Women journalists, especially those who appear on television and radio, face particular threats. They are often targeted not only for the issues they cover but also for challenging perceived social norms that prohibit women from working outside the home.

The Taliban has shut down dozens of media outlets, and hundreds of journalists have fled the country out of fear. Only a few independent media outlets still operate under the Taliban, and their journalists face severe restrictions, often resorting to self-censorship. The Taliban has warned journalists against working with specific international media outlets, and female journalists have been forced to wear black robes and headscarves with only their eyes visible.

The Taliban's crackdown on journalists appears to be intensifying, with new restrictions being imposed on female journalists' appearances and the banning of some women from accessing radio and television programs. The Taliban has also prohibited the filming or photographing of its officials.

The Taliban's actions have been condemned by human rights organisations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, as well as the Committee to Protect Journalists.

The Taliban's treatment of the Hazara Shia community

During the Taliban's rule from 1996 to 2001, several massacres were perpetrated against the Hazaras. In 1998, after taking control of Mazar-e-Sharif, the Taliban systematically massacred thousands of Shiite Hazaras. Taliban fighters searched houses for males of fighting age, gunning them down in front of their families or slitting their throats.

In addition to massacres, the Taliban's oppression of the Hazaras has included extortion of money through illegal taxation, forced recruitment and labour, physical abuse, and detention, and forced evictions. They have also cracked down on Hazara cultural heritage, banning the celebration of the Persian New Year and destroying the Bamyan Buddha statues, which were central to Hazara identity.

Since the Taliban's return to power in 2021, the persecution of the Hazaras has continued and even intensified. The Taliban have been accused of cutting down flags and banners during the Muharram month, attacking community tea stalls, and shutting down the internet in parts of Kabul. There have also been deadly attacks on Hazara mosques, schools, and hospitals, with the Taliban either directly behind the killings or failing to provide security to prevent them.

The Taliban's refusal to include other ethnicities or religions in their regime and their crackdown on women's rights have further isolated the Hazara community. The Taliban's interpretation of Islam bans all girls from secondary school and higher education, and their policies have restricted women's freedom of movement and their ability to earn a living.

The Taliban's actions and inaction toward the Hazara Shia community have led to accusations of genocide and calls for the international community to pressure the Taliban into concessions to protect the rights of the Hazara people.

The Taliban's treatment of the LGBTQ+ community

Homosexuality is considered a taboo subject in Afghanistan and is widely condemned as immoral and un-Islamic. As such, LGBTQ+ Afghans face an increasingly desperate situation and grave threats to their safety and lives. Many have reported being attacked, sexually assaulted, or directly threatened by members of the Taliban because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The Taliban has reaffirmed the previous government's criminalisation of same-sex relations, and its leaders have vowed to take a hard line against LGBTQ+ rights. A Taliban spokesperson told Reuters: "LGBT... That's against our Sharia [Islamic] law." A Taliban judge told the German tabloid Bild: "For homosexuals, there can only be two punishments: either stoning, or he must stand behind a wall that will fall down on him."

The Taliban has been accused of engaging in widespread human rights abuses, including revenge killings, systematic discrimination against women and girls, severe restrictions on freedom of expression and the media, and land grabbing. In this context, marked by systematic abuse of power combined with virulent anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment, Taliban officials and their supporters have carried out acts of violence against LGBTQ+ people with impunity.

There have been reports of LGBTQ+ Afghans being detained, beaten, and gang-raped by Taliban members. In some cases, individuals have been lured to their deaths by the Taliban, who use fake profiles on social media sites to entrap them. There have also been reports of LGBTQ+ Afghans being turned in by their own family members, who wish to curry favour with the Taliban.

The situation for LGBTQ+ Afghans has been described as lawless, with individuals left vulnerable, isolated, and in hiding. Many have expressed a desire to flee the country, but this has proven challenging due to the lack of safe pathways for evacuation and resettlement.

Overall, the Taliban's treatment of the LGBTQ+ community in Afghanistan has been characterised by extreme violence and persecution, with individuals facing threats to their safety, freedom, and lives.

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