Bahrain In Afghanistan: A Hostile Work Environment?

Afghanistan is a landlocked country in Central Asia, bordered by Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China. It has a population of around 43 million people and is officially known as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

Bahrain is a small island country in the Persian Gulf, with a population of around 1.5 million people. It is a close ally of Saudi Arabia and has endorsed the Trump administration's aggressive posture against Iran.

Therefore, Bahrain is not in Afghanistan.

The Taliban's treatment of women and girls

Women have been banned from attending secondary school and university, working in government offices, travelling without a male chaperone, and entering public spaces such as parks and gyms. They have also been ordered to cover their faces in public and remain at home unless in cases of necessity.

The Taliban have also targeted women human rights defenders, who have been beaten and arrested for peacefully protesting increased restrictions.

These restrictions have effectively erased Afghan women from public life, reversing decades of progress on gender equality and women's rights. The situation has been described as an "act of unseen, unheard bravery" for Afghan women, who continue to carry on with their lives despite being stripped of their rights and living under constant threat of violence.

The Taliban's treatment of ethnic and religious minorities

During the Taliban's first regime in the 1980s, Sikhs and Hindus were forced to wear yellow badges for identification, prevented from building new temples, and had to pay jizya (a tax for not being Muslim). Afghanistan's 2004 Constitution, which allowed Shi'a Muslims to use their jurisprudence in court cases, was suspended indefinitely by the Taliban, who imposed their rules on minorities.

The Taliban has also restricted the rights of women from religious minorities. For example, Sikh and Hindu women have been banned from celebrating religious holidays in public and are restricted in how they can dress and appear in public. Fari Kaur, one of the last Sikhs remaining in Kabul, said she was forced to "dress like a Muslim" to avoid being identified as Sikh.

In addition to harassment and persecution, ethnic and religious minorities in Afghanistan have also been denied the right to use their jurisprudence in courts. There are also reports of targeted killings and attacks against these communities.

The situation in Afghanistan has worsened as political extremist factions claiming to represent Islam have risen to power. The exodus of diverse religious groups has left a void in the country's social fabric, and minority groups are now more vulnerable to other religious extremists in the region.

The Taliban's treatment of LGBT+ people

LGBT+ people in Afghanistan have reported being attacked, sexually assaulted, or directly threatened by members of the Taliban. They have also reported abuse from family members, neighbours, and romantic partners who now support the Taliban or believed they had to take action against LGBT+ people close to them to ensure their own safety. Some have fled their homes from attacks by Taliban members or supporters pursuing them.

The Taliban have also been known to lure gay men to their deaths, with activists reporting that national security officials would make fake profiles on social media sites and dupe them into meeting them, often killing and raping them. In 2021, the Taliban lured a gay man in Kabul into meeting them using social media, and proceeded to rape and beat him. In 2022, the Taliban tortured and killed a 22-year-old gay medical student in Kabul.

There have been reports of kidnappings, beatings, killings, and gang rapes against members of the LGBT+ community under the Taliban government. LGBT+ Afghans have also faced discrimination and harassment, with no laws existing in Afghanistan to address this. Discrimination protections are non-existent under Taliban rule, and the country's population is over 99% Muslim, with the country's constitution stipulating that Islam shall be the official religion.

The Taliban's treatment of human rights defenders

Since the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, human rights defenders and activists have faced violence, intimidation, surveillance, arbitrary arrest, enforced disappearance, unlawful detention, and torture. Many have been forced to halt their activities or flee the country.

The Taliban has shown intolerance of any dissent, silencing criticism and limiting the fundamental rights and freedoms of Afghans. They have prohibited criticism of officials and restricted the possibilities to stage protests and conduct critical reporting. Even seemingly minor actions, such as posting content on social media, have led to detentions.

Civil society organisations have been targeted by the Taliban, who have raided their offices, frozen bank accounts, and forced organisations to close. Media and human rights organisations have also been pressured by rules limiting media content, a ban on defamation and 'unproven criticism' of officials, and restrictions on reporting.

The situation for activists and protestors deteriorated further following the Taliban's December 2022 decree banning women from university. There were reports of protestors being chased away and shot at in Kandahar, and protests in Kunar and Khost provinces met with violence, while beatings of female protestors were reported in Kabul and Herat.

The Taliban has also targeted women activists in particular, as well as men who have voiced their concerns regarding women's rights. Family members of activists and journalists have also been targeted to obtain information and for intimidation purposes.

Despite the Taliban's claims to respect human rights, they have steadily reimposed their strict interpretation of Sharia-based law on the country, including public executions, amputations, and flogging. They have imposed harsh restrictions on women's rights to education, employment, free speech, movement, and dress. Women who have protested have been harassed, threatened, detained, arrested, tortured, and forcibly disappeared.

The Taliban has also made it more difficult for aid agencies to operate in Afghanistan by harassing aid workers and banning women from working for the UN. This has forced the UN to reduce its funding request for the country by one billion dollars.

The Taliban's treatment of journalists

Journalists have been beaten, tortured, and detained for covering women's protests in Kabul. In one instance, two journalists were beaten so badly that they lost consciousness. In another instance, a journalist was called in for questioning and threatened after reporting on a protest by women against the Taliban's repressive policies.

The Taliban has also imposed restrictions on the media, with certain topics such as insecurity, human rights, and corruption being off-limits. Broadcasters have been banned from interviewing ordinary Afghans on the streets to prevent criticism of the group. Women and girls have been banned from appearing on TV or radio programs, and male reporters have been barred from interviewing women and vice versa.

The Taliban's crackdown on journalists has led to hundreds fleeing the country and many more ceasing work out of fear of retribution.

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