Afghanistan: Two journalists arrested and beaten for covering women’s rights protests in Kabul, rights group says | world News

[ad_1]

Afghan journalists covering women’s protests in Kabul have been detained and severely beaten by Taliban security forces, Human Rights Watch said.

Taqi Deriabi and Neama Naqdi, of the Kabul-based media outlet Etelat Rose, were arrested and attacked on Tuesday.

The two were covering women’s protests in the Afghan capital to demand an end to Taliban violations of the rights of women and girls.

Photo: Taqi Deriabi was also arrested and beaten by the Taliban authorities. Pic: Zaki Diaby

Taliban authorities took the two men to a police station and placed them in separate cells before severely beating them with cables, according to Atalat e Rose.

They were released on Wednesday and are receiving medical treatment in hospital for injuries to their backs and faces.

“Two of my colleagues who were arrested by the Taliban were beaten for four hours,” said Zaki Deriabi, editor-in-chief of “Etilat Rose”.

He added, “Under the constant and brutal torture by the Taliban, the journalists lost consciousness four times.

“This is unacceptable. We want the Taliban to bring their soldiers to justice. We also all media organizations stand together against this unacceptable torture.”

Photo: Afghan women’s rights defenders and civil activists demonstrate to demand the Taliban preserve their achievements and education, in front of the presidential palace in Kabul

Human Rights Watch said the Taliban are arresting and assaulting journalists and imposing new restrictions on media work – and demanded that the attacks stop and the restrictions be lifted.

The organization said that Taliban members responsible for attacks against protesters and journalists should be appropriately punished.

Please use Chrome browser for an accessible video player

Taliban ban public protests in Afghanistan

“Taliban authorities have claimed they will allow media outlets to operate as long as they ‘respect Islamic values’, but are increasingly preventing journalists from covering the demonstrations,” said Patricia Gusman, associate Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

“The Taliban should ensure that all journalists are able to do their work without abusive restrictions or fear of retribution.”

Human Rights Watch also reported that Taliban authorities also detained a photojournalist, Wahid Ahmadi, from Toulouse on Tuesday and released him later that day.

Photo: Afghan women demonstrating in Mazar-i-Sharif

The authorities reportedly confiscated his camera and prevented other journalists from filming the protest.

The Taliban has repeatedly promised to support women’s rights since seizing power last month.

But many Afghans and international observers are deeply skeptical, with reports that the fighters are already violating their pledges.

Photo: Male and female students separate with a curtain at a university in Kabul

Earlier this week, students were separated from the students by a curtain in the middle of a classroom at a Kabul university.

Meanwhile, witnesses said the Taliban broke up women’s rights protests in Kabul by firing in the air and using tear gas and electric detonators.

Women demonstrated in the Afghan capital for the second day in a row on Saturday, demanding that their freedoms be guaranteed under the new Islamic regime.

The Taliban has since announced a ban on all protests in Kabul and other provinces in Afghanistan that have not received prior permission.

[ad_2]