RASC News Agency: The Human Rights Defenders’ Assembly has strongly condemned the Taliban’s recent arrests of religious scholars, educators, and civil society activists, warning that such actions not only inflict severe psychological distress on the populace but also pose a grave threat to Afghanistan’s social cohesion. In a statement issued on Sunday, the organization denounced these measures in the strongest possible terms. According to the statement, the detained religious scholars had been vocal advocates for fundamental human rights, including the right to girls’ education, the promotion of peaceful coexistence, the establishment of the rule of law for all citizens, and the eradication of systemic discrimination. The Assembly accused the Taliban of flagrantly disregarding these legitimate demands, instead opting for a campaign of “oppressive and degrading repression” to silence dissenting voices.
The organization has called on the Taliban to immediately and unconditionally release all detained religious scholars, civil society activists, and academics while ceasing all forms of mistreatment and humiliation. It has also urged national institutions, media organizations, and cultural and political figures to raise international awareness and advocate for the detainees’ freedom on the global stage. Previously, Fareed Hamidi, former Attorney General of Afghanistan, condemned the Taliban’s escalating crackdown, stating: “Rather than resorting to repression, the Taliban must acknowledge and respect the will of the people.” His remarks follow a series of arbitrary detentions by the Taliban’s intelligence apparatus, including the recent arrests of three prominent religious scholars Abdul Qadir Qanit, Mahmood Hassan, and Abdul Aziz Shoja who had been outspoken critics of the regime.
According to reliable sources, these scholars were detained solely for their outspoken criticism of Taliban policies, underscoring the group’s relentless assault on freedom of expression.
