Thursday, September 09, 2021
After protests for women’s rights
Taliban ban demonstrations
In Afghanistan there is resistance to the new transitional government, especially women are demonstrating for their rights in Kabul and other cities. The Taliban no longer want to allow that. For now, protests are completely banned.
The militant Islamist Taliban have initially banned all further protests in Afghanistan. The Ministry of Interior’s first official statement after the formation of the government stated that no one should try to organize protests under any circumstances at the moment. Serious criminal prosecution is threatened in the event of violations.
The reason given by the Taliban was that in the past few days some people had disrupted public order and molested people. At the same time, the Islamists set the conditions for protests in the future. Organizers must therefore obtain prior approval from the Ministry of Justice. The reason for the demonstration, the location, the time and the slogans must be communicated to the judiciary and security authorities at least 24 hours in advance.
In the past few days, the Taliban had not only used violence to suppress demonstrations. They also banned media coverage of the protests. Women and men took to the streets in the capital, Kabul and several provinces, among other things for women’s rights and freedom. Their protests were directed, among other things, against the all-male transitional government and against Pakistan’s interference with Afghan issues. Some journalists who tried to cover it were physically abused.
Resistance in the Pandjir Valley reportedly continues
Meanwhile, violent opposition to the new regime continues in the Pandjir Valley. Remnants of the Afghan army and militias are continuing the fighting against the Taliban, the former government’s envoy, Sahir Aghbar, said at a press conference in Dushanbe, Tajikia on Wednesday. He contradicted statements by the Taliban that the leader of the Afghan Tajiks, Ahmad Massud, and the former Vice President Amrullah Saleh had fled to neighboring Tajikistan. Both are in the Pandjir Valley.
“I am in constant contact with Amrullah Saleh,” said the ambassador. For security reasons, Massud and Saleh would not address the public themselves. The Taliban announced on Monday that they had taken control of the Punjir Valley. During the first period of rule of the Taliban from 1996 to 2001, Massud’s father was the only opposition leader who was able to fend off a conquest of his home territory.
.