RASC News Agency: Local sources in Baghlan province have reported that on the night of Thursday, April 24, three young men were detained and brutally tortured by Taliban militants for the alleged offense of being outside their homes after dark. The incident occurred in the village of Jeryan, located within the Guzargah-e-Noor district of Baghlan. According to eyewitness accounts, the three men identified as Mukhtar Ahmad, Mehrabuddin, and Ashiqullah were en route to visit a relative’s house when they were apprehended by a Taliban commander named Hashimi. They were immediately detained and transported to a Taliban-run outpost, where they were subjected to physical abuse.
Local sources have emphasized that none of the detainees had any affiliations with opposing factions or insurgent groups. Their sole transgression, according to the Taliban’s stringent regulations, was simply being outside at night a seemingly innocuous activity that is strictly prohibited under the Taliban’s repressive policies on civilian movement. Despite the minor nature of their supposed crime, the manner in which the Taliban handled the situation has drawn widespread condemnation for its disproportionate cruelty. As of the writing of this report, local Taliban officials have yet to issue any response to inquiries regarding the incident, and no public statement has been made. The lack of acknowledgment of the event only serves to heighten the growing concerns about the Taliban’s disregard for fundamental human rights and their increasingly authoritarian approach to governance.
The event has triggered significant alarm among local residents, many of whom are deeply concerned about the rising tide of violence and human rights abuses in areas under Taliban control. This incident while seemingly isolated appears to reflect a broader pattern of state-sanctioned violence and repression that threatens to become commonplace in Afghanistan. Citizens are particularly alarmed at the arbitrary nature of the Taliban’s actions, which appear to be targeting civilians for minor infractions, further exacerbating the climate of fear and uncertainty. Many residents fear that this episode could mark the beginning of a more systemic effort by the Taliban to curtail personal freedoms, with further implications for civil liberties across the country. Critics argue that such acts of arbitrary detention and torture are not just isolated events but are symptomatic of the larger authoritarian agenda of the Taliban, which seeks to instill a pervasive sense of fear throughout Afghanistani society. If this pattern continues, it could lead to widespread violations of individual rights, with the potential for more civilians to become victims of the Taliban’s harsh and punitive rule.
Moreover, this incident adds to the mounting concerns about the state of security and governance under Taliban rule. The Taliban’s oppressive actions are causing irreversible damage to Afghanistan’s social fabric, particularly as they target the very essence of individual autonomy and personal dignity. The repercussions of such behavior are far-reaching, with profound implications for Afghanistan’s future trajectory. The creation of an environment where basic freedoms are systematically crushed poses a grave threat to the stability of the country and to the well-being of its citizens. The growing concerns are not limited to the people of Baghlan; they resonate across the entire country, with many Afghanistanis warning that if such patterns of conduct are allowed to continue, the country could be plunged into a permanent state of fear and repression, where civilians live under constant threat of persecution for even the most mundane aspects of daily life.
International observers and human rights organizations have also condemned these practices, highlighting the need for greater accountability and a commitment to human rights in Afghanistan. The international community has called for transparency, urging the Taliban to respect the fundamental freedoms of the Afghanistani people and to reconsider its authoritarian policies, which, if left unchecked, will likely contribute to the further deterioration of human rights in Afghanistan.
