Abdul-Bari Jahani Blames Hibatullah for Religious Justification of Taliban’s Crackdown on Protesters
Abdul-Bari Jahani, a renowned writer, poet, and former Minister of Information and Culture, has held Hibatullah Akhundzada responsible for legitimizing the Taliban’s violent crackdown on protesters in Herat. In response to the shooting of demonstrators by Taliban officials in the city, Jahani stated on Twitter that the Taliban leader’s recent remarks have provided a religious and ideological basis for suppressing opposition.
According to Jahani, Hibatullah recently declared that “the death of those who do not pledge allegiance to him is like the death of infidels during the age of ignorance.” Jahani emphasized that the Taliban are aware that the majority of the Afghan population has not pledged allegiance to them; therefore, they consider their opponents “infidels” and justify violence against them.
He added that the silence of some segments of society has emboldened the Taliban administration to commit acts of violence against men and women across the country. In his view, the Taliban’s current approach indicates that instead of responding to civil demands, the group has chosen the path of repression.
Jahani also referred to the recent order by the Taliban leader banning government employees, including teachers, from using smartphones, describing it as an attempt to restrict the flow of information. He warned that this measure might aim to sever people’s connection with the outside world and prevent the dissemination of news about events.
These remarks come as residents of Herat staged protests yesterday to support women and girls detained by the religious police enforcing Islamic morality rules. The demonstrations were met with gunfire from Taliban forces, resulting in at least two deaths, including a child and a woman, and injuring several others.
Simultaneously, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) confirmed that at least 30 women have been detained in Herat in recent days. However, Taliban officials in the province deny that women are being arrested because of their dress.
These recent events have once again raised concerns about the Taliban administration’s handling of civil protests and women’s rights, highlighting calls for transparent accountability regarding the actions of the group’s forces.
