“In two years, Afghanistan has become the most repressive country in the world against women. Even free voices, ethnic and religious minorities, the Lgbtqia+ community are living an increasingly difficult reality”. Amnesty international Italia writes it on Twitter, publishing an in-depth study on the situation in the Asian country two years after the return to power of the Taliban.
«Since they took power in Afghanistan, the Taliban have plunged the country into a very serious rights crisis – explains the organization in the Report – It was August 15, 2021 and from that day the lives of women, free voices, ethnic minorities and religious, people of the Lgbtqia+ community has become increasingly difficult”.
The report continues: “The Taliban, who are the de facto rulers of the country, have committed countless acts of violence and human rights abuses with total impunity. In two years, they have systematically dismantled key institutions for the protection of human rights and repressed freedom of expression, association, the right to a fair trial and other human rights. The fundamental rights of women and girls have been suppressed. Thousands of people have been arbitrarily arrested, tortured, kidnapped and even killed: exponents of journalism, sport and the arts, activists, human rights defenders, academics, religious and ethnic minorities remain at particular risk. Human rights are under attack on all fronts. As the Afghan people continue to brave this storm, we must stand by them and defend their right to live in freedom, dignity and equality.”
Afghanistan, the Taliban bans women from university: here is the last day of a group of girls in the faculty
From 17 September 2021 girls over 12 can no longer study. “Many women can no longer leave the house or travel without the supervision of a man. In 2022 the restrictions increase dramatically: women can no longer attend university, parks, gyms, even female toilets. Journalists are banned from showing their faces, women can no longer work in local or international NGOs. In 2023 the beauty salons will also close: thus one of the few working sectors still accessible to women is closed ».
Then there is the question of freedom of the press. Amnesty highlights that «in 2023, Afghanistan was ranked 156th out of 180 countries in the Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index. Many journalists were arrested, beaten and tortured just for trying to report what was happening in the country.” The story of a journalist and civil society activist is emblematic of the situation: «I was detained for several days. I was beaten and whipped so hard on my legs that I could not stand. My family had heard from passers-by that I had been kidnapped by the Taliban but they had no idea where I was.’ Amensty recalls that one of the first cases of violence against the media occurred against two journalists from the Etilaat Roz newspaper who were covering women’s protests in Kabul on September 9, 2021. Despite the resulting international scandal, the violence did not escalate stop and journalism in the country is more dangerous than ever.