Freed French-Afghan journalist credits media support for his life

October 23, 2023

 

Paris, Oct 23 (EFE).- French-Afghan journalist Mortaza Behboudi, released after spending 284 days imprisoned by the Taliban regime, said on Monday that the pressure built by the media saved his life.

“Without the media, I would not be alive,” Behboudi said at a press conference at the headquarters of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which actively worked for his release.

Behboudi was arrested on Jan.7 while trying to report on female students taking exams at Kabul university. He was released on Oct.18 and repatriated to France.

Flanked by his wife, Aleksandra Mostovaja, and RSF Secretary-General Christophe Deloire, Behboudi said the Taliban regime accused him of a French spy and bringing aid to the Afghan resistance against the Islamists.

Although he had all his documents in order, including an Afghan press card, he spent a month in a police station, the journalist said.

He was then taken to Kabul central prison, where another 1,200 political detainees were held.

He was completely isolated from the outside world in an overcrowded cell. “I didn’t think I was going to come out alive,” he said.

Behboudi, who held back tears on several occasions during the press conference, avoided going into details about his experiences to avoid harming other detainees.

He did, however, mention that he was repeatedly interrogated and tortured and witnessed the torture of other prisoners.

After more than six months, a Taliban delegation went to see after he repeatedly pleaded innocence.

Subsequently, he was transferred to another prison for common criminals, where he had access to a lawyer and a telephone.

After five court hearings, he was finally found innocent, although he had to sign a document agreeing to submit his future articles to the Taliban for approval before publication.

Following his release, he arrived in Paris on Friday morning and was transferred to a military hospital for a medical check-up.

“The mobilization for Mortaza Behboudi’s release has been extraordinary,” the RSF general-secretary said

He said the editorial staff of 15 media outlets worked for his release, also creating a support committee.

Deloire pointed out that, although it is sometimes believed that such mobilizations are ineffective, in this case, “it has sent an extraordinarily important message to the Taliban.” EFE

Freed French-Afghan journalist credits media support for his life
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Dam in Logar At Risk of Collapse, Residents Say

According to them, parts of the land affecting the dam have been taken by land-grabbers in recent years. 

A number of residents of Kharwar district in Logar said that part of the water dam of the district is at risk of collapse due to the increase in the sediments of the recend floods in the reservoir of the dam. 

According to them, parts of the land affecting the dam have been taken by land-grabbers in recent years.

“The Kharwar Dam needs complete reconstruction, which means that this dam faces the threat of destruction. If you see the gates of this dam, the stones and the cover of the dam, which were built in the past, are being destroyed and need to be rebuilt,” said Muhibullah Wesal, a resident.

“The technical equipment that existed in the past revolutions has been looted and disabled,” said Nasratullah Akef, another resident.

“People near this dam have started their agricultural work, if it goes further into ruin, it will be a major loss for the people,” said Mohammad Layeq Sahel, a resident.

Some residents of the district want serious attention from the Islamic Emirate to the reconstruction of the dam.

“We call on the Islamic Emirate to help us rebuild this dam. This can damage Logar and Charkh district and is very important for Kharwar,” Hazratullah Abed told Tolonews.

“They should pay serious attention to this dam, which is useful for both Kharwar and will not be damaged in the case of floods,” said Abedullah, a resident.

However, local officials in Logar have announced that 100 million afghanis have been allocated to start reconstruction work on the dam.

“More than 100 million Afghanis have been allocated for the Kharwar Dam and its work is underway. This has been volunteered by companies, but it’s not final. Based on the information we have received, hopefully it will begin work next year,” said Rafiullah Samim, head of information and culture in Logar province.

The dam was reportedly built in Kharwar district of Logar during the reign of Mohammad Zahir Shah in Afghanistan.

Dam in Logar At Risk of Collapse, Residents Say
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Pressure Mounts on Afghan Refugees in Pakistan as Deadline Nears

Earlier, the Pakistani media reported 1,700 illegal Afghan refugees have recently been deported from Pakistan.

As the November 1 deadline determined by the Pakistani interim government for the Afghan refugees to leave approaches, pressure is mounting on the Afghan nationals who are recognized as “illegal” migrants by Islamabad.

The Afghan refugees told TOLOnews that they are being detained under various pretexts by the Pakistani police and forced to leave the country.

“They detain the Afghans who are without visas and legal documents and deport them to Afghanistan,’ said Faizullah Turk, an Afghan refugee.

“If the refugees don’t leave Afghanistan soon, they will come under police pressure which will eventually force them to leave the country,” said Mir Ahmad Rauf, head of an Afghan refugees council.

Earlier, the Pakistani media reported 1,700 illegal Afghan refugees have recently been deported from Pakistan.

The Consulate of the Islamic Emirate in Karachi, Pakistan, Abdul Jabar Takhari, said that more than 1,000 Afghan refugees are in the prisons of Pakistan.

“Within this period of one month, 120,000 Afghan refugees left Pakistan and returned to the country,” he said.

Meanwhile, political analysts said that the harassment of Afghan refugees can affect the relations between Kabul and Islamabad.

Pakistan’s decision to expel Afghan refugees faced a strong reaction of the international organizations including the UN.

Pressure Mounts on Afghan Refugees in Pakistan as Deadline Nears
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Over 40,000 Cases Tried in Past 3 Months: Supreme Court

Meanwhile, some citizens who have referred to the Supreme Court have some requests from the Islamic Emirate.

The Supreme Court of the Islamic Emirate reports that in the past three months it has dealt with more than 40,000 different cases across the country.

“In all the courts of the country, 44,496 different cases have been resolved in these three months, and these numbers show that the authorities have done enough work,” said Abdul Rahim Rashid, spokesman for the Supreme Court.

Abdul Rahim Rashid said that the department has also distributed more than 44,000 different documents to citizens throughout the country during this period.

“In the last three months, Saratan, Asad, and Sanbula months, 44,560 different documents have been executed, of which 11,731 of them were marriage certificates.

Meanwhile, some citizens who have referred to the Supreme Court have some requests from the Islamic Emirate.

“What we want from Afghanistan’s courts, whether it is primary or appellate courts, whether there is a legal case or anything else, we want justice in it,” said Mahrmullah, an applicant.

“I had a file from the previous government and the file had many problems. Since this government came, things have become very easy,” said Sayedullah, an applicant.

The Supreme Court continues to acknowledge the complaints regarding the slowness of providing services to citizens and pledged that these challenges will be addressed in a better way.

Over 40,000 Cases Tried in Past 3 Months: Supreme Court
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UNAMA Releases New Report on Human Rights Situation in Afghanistan

23 Oct 2023

The report covered the period from July to September 2023.

The UN Assistant Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) released a new report that documented the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, which also shows an increase in restrictions on the rights of women.

The report addressed the ban on women’s beauty salons, saying that salons that have continued to operate beyond the deadline, in contravention of the edict, have been the target of harsh responses by the de facto authorities.

The report covered the period from July to September 2023.

It also shows that around 25 beauty salon owners and their employees gathered in Kabul to hold a peaceful protest against the ban on July 19, and “four female protestors were arrested and released later the same day.”

UNAMA also reported on the restrictions on women’s freedom of movement, saying that on 26 August, in Bamyan province, “the de facto Minister of the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice announced that women are banned from visiting Band-e-Amir National Park due to noncompliance with the hijab order.”

The report further said that women and girls continue to be excluded from secondary and tertiary education and the “de facto authorities” took various steps throughout July, August and September to ensure that existing bans were fully implemented.

UNAMA also referred to the ban on travel for female students to the UAE. “On 23 August at Kabul International Airport, de facto Police prevented a group of female students from traveling to Dubai to pursue higher education, having been accepted to a program funded by a UAE businessman, because they were not all accompanied by mahrams,” it said. But it also said that some of the women were subsequently able to travel to Dubai.

According to UNAMA, in contrast with the same period in 2022, it documented far fewer civilian casualties, largely due to a significant reduction in improvised explosive device attacks.

On 14 August in Khost city, UNAMA said, “next to Speen mosque, an explosion occurred at Mula Hotel.”

“Five people were killed (one civilian and four Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) members) and at least 18 wounded (12 civilians, six TTP members),” the report said, adding that some sources stated that the attack was carried out by a drone and that the targets were TTP fighters, who often frequented the hotel, “however, there has been no claim of responsibility to date.”

It also highlighted the “extra judicial killings” of some former Afghan military personnel as well as treatment of detainees by the Islamic Emirate’s forces.

The report found that in places of detention managed by the de facto Office of Prison Administration, instances of ill-treatment were rare.

“The report found that in places of detention managed by the de facto Office of Prison Administration, instances of ill-treatment were rare and overall respect for procedural safeguards was higher,” it reads.

UNAMA Releases New Report on Human Rights Situation in Afghanistan
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Afghan Quake Survivors Face Staggering Health Consequences

FILE - A 12-year-old injured during a recent earthquake receives treatment at a hospital in Herat, Afghanistan, on Oct. 11, 2023. The World Health Organization said on Oct. 20 that the survivors of the series of quakes desperately need essential health services.
FILE – A 12-year-old injured during a recent earthquake receives treatment at a hospital in Herat, Afghanistan, on Oct. 11, 2023. The World Health Organization said on Oct. 20 that the survivors of the series of quakes desperately need essential health services.
 

The World Health Organization warns that tens of thousands of survivors of a series of powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquakes that struck western Afghanistan’s Herat province between October 7 and 15 are in desperate need of humanitarian aid and essential health services.

“I have personally seen how these multiple earthquakes flattened villages, displaced thousands of people and left many families in urgent need of humanitarian and health assistance,” said Alaa AbouZeid, health emergencies team lead for WHO Afghanistan.

Speaking in Kabul on Friday, AbouZeid said, “Over 114,000 people are in urgent need of lifesaving health assistance. … The health consequences are staggering.”

Those most seriously affected by the disaster, he said, are women, girls, boys and the elderly, “who account for over 90% of the deaths and injuries. Many children are left orphaned.”

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA, reports that the earthquakes directly affected more than 66,000 people — about 1,500 killed, some 2,000 injured, at least 3,700 homes destroyed and another 21,300 buildings damaged.

“I have talked to people affected by earthquakes, and the sense of loss is heartbreaking,” said Luo Dapeng, WHO representative in Afghanistan. “Many people spent days digging under the rubble to search for members who either died or got injured.”

According to an initial assessment by the WHO, at least 40 health facilities across nine districts were damaged, resulting in severe disruptions of health services for an estimated 580,000 people.

AbouZeid said health providers were afraid to go into those buildings, which showed visible cracks and risked collapse. “So, most health services for now are provided from tents,” he said, calling the situation untenable.

“We need immediate action to restore, renovate and ensure services that provide health facilities, especially in wintertime. The survivors need water [and] better shelters that can protect them from the harsh winter,” he said.

“Last year, Herat experienced minus 30 degrees centigrade during wintertime, and winter has already started in Afghanistan,” he said. “So, there are needs for water and sanitation to stop any possible disease outbreaks.”

He said that WHO staff in Afghanistan was on the ground within hours of the disaster and able to treat the injured, provide medicine and medical supplies, and give mental health and trauma care.

“Thanks to the long and established presence in Herat, we were able to rapidly mobilize resources … and extend immediate lifesaving support to the affected population at the most critical time of the emergency.”

He said the WHO has deployed 21 female health workers, including doctors and midwives, to Herat to ensure that women have unimpeded access to the health services they need.

“They have been distributed over different facilities to provide services for their female patients, with a special focus on reproductive health services, obstetrics, gynecology services and child health services,” AbouZeid said.

The WHO launched an appeal for $7.9 million Wednesday to provide urgent and essential health services for 114,000 of the most vulnerable people in the next six months.

AbouZeid said the WHO needs to scale up emergency health needs urgently and swiftly “as the upcoming winter season is bringing new health risks and exposure to the affected population currently living outdoors or in tents.”

Afghan Quake Survivors Face Staggering Health Consequences
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Islamic Emirate Rejects SIGAR’s Report on Afghanistan Aid

The Deputy Spokesman of the Islamic Emirate, Bilal Karimi, said that the current government regulates all issues based on the interests of the country.

The Islamic Emirate responded to SIGAR’s report claiming that “the Taliban indirectly benefit from U.S.-funded education assistance” by stating that the organization’s findings are wildly inaccurate.

The Deputy Spokesman of the Islamic Emirate, Bilal Karimi, said that the current government regulates all issues based on the interests of the country.

“This administration’s statements about the issues of Afghanistan are far from truth. The Islamic Emirate regulates all the issues and affairs and everything that is going on in Afghanistan according to the principles and interests of its country,” Karimi noted.

This comes as the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan (SIGAR), said in its recent report that the Islamic Emirate indirectly benefits from US-funded education assistance.

“The Taliban benefit from U.S. education funding through the establishment of fraudulent NGOs to receive donor assistance, and by infiltrating and extorting existing Afghan NGOs delivering educational assistance,” the report reads.

According to SIGAR’s report, “Even boys’ secondary school attendance decreased by more than 10 percent in eight provinces. In addition, a chancellor of one private university told SIGAR that immediately following August 2021, the university lost 50 percent of its enrolled students and that all woman’s educational programs at the university.”

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan (SIGAR) said the current Afghan government policies have also “limited students’ access to education because restrictions on women teachers have caused staffing shortages.”

Meanwhile, some economists gave various views regarding SIGAR’s report.

“I think that, from the start, America and its allies have known that the Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan has access to the thirty to forty million dollars that are sent there every week in addition to other forms of aid,” said Seiyar Qureshi, an economist.

Previously, the UN Security Council said in a report that 56 humanitarian aid programs in Afghanistan have been stopped due to the intervention of the Islamic Emirate.

However, the Islamic Emirate has said that they only provide security for relief organizations and do not interfere in the internal affairs of the organizations.

Islamic Emirate Rejects SIGAR’s Report on Afghanistan Aid
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WFP: In Afghanistan 15M Don’t Know Where Next Meal Will Come From

Harald Mannhardt, Deputy Country Director of WFP Afghanistan, said that many children in Afghanistan come to school without breakfast.

The World Food Programme (WFP) said that in Afghanistan 15 million people – or one third of the population – do not know where their next meal will come from.

Harald Mannhardt, Deputy Country Director of WFP Afghanistan, said that many children in Afghanistan come to school without breakfast.

”Many children in Afghanistan come to school without breakfast and WFP’s school feeding programme provides their first meal of the day. School feeding is an important part of our activities in the country, where 15 million people – or one third of the population – do not know where their next meal will come from,” Mannhardt added.

Meanwhile, the EU in a statement announced that “the European Union is allocating an additional EUR 9.9 million to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to support nearly 2 million primary school students in Nangarhar, Nuristan, Ghor, Farah, and Jawzjan provinces over two years.”

The statement quoted Raffaella Iodice, the EU Chargée d’Affaires a.i. to Afghanistan saying: “Learning with an empty stomach is hard. The school feeding programme in Afghanistan helps increase enrollment, attendance, and retention in primary school, for boys and girls. School feeding improves learning abilities and the well-being of the children who are the next generation of Afghanistan.”

According to the EU statement, this money will be spent to support nearly 2 million primary school students in Nangarhar, Nuristan, Ghor, Farah, and Jawzjan provinces over two years.

“This aid should be given to their families on a regular basis so that they can take care of the nutrition, food, and clothing of the students in a regular and very basic manner,” said Shaker Yaqoobi, an economist.

“They should make more concrete efforts and positive changes as much as possible in the dialogue with the Afghan government in terms of creating educational opportunities and decreasing the level of restrictions,” said Bahram Ramish, another economist.

This comes as earlier some international organizations expressed their concerns about the situation of children, especially elementary school students, and requested more aid for their support.

WFP: In Afghanistan 15M Don’t Know Where Next Meal Will Come From
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UK’s FCDO Advises Against All Travel to Afghanistan

FCDO said in a statement that travel to Afghanistan is dangerous due to security threats and the possibility of more attacks on religious sites and airports.

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advised its citizens not to travel to Afghanistan.

FCDO said in a statement that travel to Afghanistan is dangerous due to security threats and the possibility of more attacks on religious sites and airports.

“Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Afghanistan. There is a heightened threat of terrorist attacks in or around religious sites and during religious events and celebrations. The security situation in Afghanistan is volatile. There is an ongoing and high threat of terrorist attacks throughout Afghanistan, including around airports,” the statement reads.

However, the Islamic Emirate rejects this claim, saying that security and peace have been ensured in Afghanistan.

“These kinds of claims are baseless and false. In Afghanistan, peace, stability and security are ensured all over the country, and all people feel calm and there are no security problems in Afghanistan at the moment,” said Bilal Karimi, Deputy spokesman of the Islamic Emirate.

Meanwhile, some military analysts have different views in this regard.

“The security situation in Afghanistan is good and not so bad that these countries should warn its citizens not to travel to Afghanistan,” said Asadullah Nadim, a military expert.

“Many nations in the region and around the world sometimes feel content with the security that exists in Afghanistan, and sometimes engage in intelligence propaganda,” said Ahmad Khan Andar, another military analyst.

Previously, the Russian Special Representative for Afghanistan, and the German Foreign Ministry urged their respective citizens to avoid traveling to Afghanistan because of the security situation.

UK’s FCDO Advises Against All Travel to Afghanistan
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Govt Will Not Endure Without People’s Support: Haqqani

On the other hand, the deputy Interior Ministry, Mohammad Nabi Omari, called on the Islamic Emirate’s forces to treat the people with proper behavior.

In a meeting with Kabul province authorities, the acting Interior Minister, Sirajuddin Haqqani, said that bringing Afghanistan into “obedience” does not demonstrate the improvement of physical strength but rather the improvement of “spiritual” strength.

He also said that the interim government will not continue without the support of the people.

During the meeting, Haqqani said that silencing the revolutionary people in the 34 provinces of Afghanistan and making them obey is not something that can be done by force.

“If we really surrender to God, the people will obey the government, if we are bad inside but good outside, God will make us scandalous and we will not endure. If we don’t obey God, we will be beaten,” he said.

“There was fighting against the invasion. It was struggles of the Islamic Emirate’s forces and it was Jihad. Now we are in another level of Jihad, which is stability and steadiness of the Islamic government,” said Mohammad Qassim Khalid, governor of Kabul.

Meanwhile, the head of the Kabul department of intelligence, Mohammad Arif, emphasized the need for implementation of the edicts of the Islamic Emirate leaders’ decrees in a bid to pave the ground for a “sharia government.”

“Every decree which is issued by the leaders, including the decree of Amirul Momineen [Islamic Emirate’s leader], we should consider it with respect and bring it into effect,” he said.

On the other hand, the deputy Interior Ministry, Mohammad Nabi Omari, called on the Islamic Emirate’s forces to treat the people with proper behavior.

“Some of the people have complained that when we go to the governor or commander, we were ignored… my brothers we should pay attention to these points,” he said.

This comes as the citizens across the country have repeatedly complained about the mistreatment of the Islamic Emirate’s forces.

Govt Will Not Endure Without People’s Support: Haqqani
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