Widespread Arrests and Extortion in Panjshir Reported by Women’s Movement

The Panjshir Women’s Movement has reported that in the past two months, dozens of residents from various districts of the province have been detained by Taliban administration forces. Some detainees have been pressured to pay money or surrender weapons. According to the movement, the arrests were carried out under threat and in some cases involved torture, with several individuals still held in prison.

According to a statement released Saturday, May 16, the detainees were first taken to local checkpoints and then transferred to the provincial center. There, they were asked to hand over their weapons or pay a sum as a “weapon substitute,” a practice local residents describe as a form of organized extortion.

The statement details that four individuals were arrested in Tawak village of Anaba district, six in Darkhil of Rokha district, eight in Karwashi in central Panjshir, two in Parandi, two in Gut, sixteen in Kawjan village of Paryan district, and five in Abdullah-Khil valley. Local sources said warnings were issued in some areas indicating that people would face “weapons, money, or prison.”

The Panjshir Women’s Movement added that in some cases, after paying money or surrendering weapons, individuals were given papers to avoid re-arrest; however, this process has been repeated multiple times in certain regions, raising concerns over the absence of any legal guarantees.

The movement warned that the continuation of such actions is worsening the humanitarian and psychological situation of Panjshir’s residents and has caused many families to face economic and social difficulties. Panjshir, located in the northeast of the country, has seen a significant presence of Taliban forces in recent years, with reports of restrictions and pressure on the local population.

The Panjshir Women’s Movement called on international human rights organizations to not remain silent about the situation and urged immediate action to stop arbitrary arrests and what it described as “oppression and repression.” The movement emphasized its commitment to stand with the people of Panjshir and continue pursuing these issues.