Afghanistan Times
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KABUL – As the Taliban’s oppressive measures against women in Afghanistan persist, alarming reports reveal that out of the approximately 19,000 people incarcerated across the country, at least 800 are women.
In an exclusive interview with RTA, the national TV network of Afghanistan, deputy head of the Office of the Prison Administration Habibullah Badar, dismissed claims of unofficial, private jails and refuted allegations of torture or abuse of inmates, asserting the absence of such practices within the prison system.
“There are a total of 19,000 detainees in various provinces and districts of the country. Many of them are under investigation. 800 of them are women,” he said.
This is as critics, including military and political experts, are calling on the Taliban to provide educational opportunities for the captives. Despite the Taliban’s initial assurances of a more moderate stance on women’s rights when seizing power in August 2021, their subsequent actions tell a different story. The ban on higher education is just one of many steps taken by the armed group to further segregate the country and curtail women’s roles in society.
Following their rise to power, the Taliban swiftly imposed restrictions, including banning girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade and enforcing stringent rules on women’s attire and movement. Beauty salons were shuttered, and women were barred from collaborating with domestic and international non-governmental aid groups, sparking international outrage over the blatant infringement of basic rights. The situation remains a cause for concern as the Taliban tightens its grip, leaving many to question the future for Afghan women under their rule.
