Protests Against Taliban Restrictions Continue in 24 Cities Worldwide

As the fifth anniversary of the Taliban administration’s return to power marked the occasion, Afghan citizens and civil society activists gathered in at least 24 cities around the world and, while criticising restrictions and human rights violations, stressed support for the rights of the Afghan people, especially women and girls.

In Washington, too, a number of artists, civil society activists and Afghan citizens held a protest rally on Sunday, 25 Asad. Participants in the gathering criticised the Taliban administration’s five-year record and insisted on continuing efforts to secure a free, fair and human dignity-based future for Afghanistan.

The protesters criticised what they called the Taliban administration’s “repressive policies” and widespread human rights violations, and called on the international community to pay more serious attention to the situation in Afghanistan, especially the situation of women and girls.

According to participants, Afghan women over the past five years have continued their civil and justice-seeking struggles in various ways despite pressure, threats, restrictions and deprivation of basic rights.

The protests began on Saturday, 24 Asad, and continued through Sunday and Monday. The main focus of most of the programmes was described as support for women’s rights, opposition to normalising relations with the Taliban administration and support for refugees.