24 DAILY NEWS – New York | Human Rights
Four years after the Taliban’s return to power on August 15, 2021, Afghanistan faces escalating Taliban repression. 24 DAILY NEWS has learned that according to a report from Human Rights Watch, the group has intensified restrictions on women, detained journalists, and silenced nearly all forms of dissent.
According to reports obtained by 24 DAILY NEWS, this Taliban repression has plunged Afghanistan into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, worsened by foreign aid cuts and the forced return of 1.9 million refugees from Iran and Pakistan. The denial of women’s rights, collapsing healthcare, and brutal censorship have made life nearly unlivable for millions.
Taliban Repression Targets Women and Girls
As 24 DAILY NEWS has reported, women and girls remain at the center of Taliban repression. Girls are still banned from school beyond sixth grade, and women are prohibited from attending universities or working in most sectors. They face restrictions on movement, access to public services, and even medical care.
On July 8, 2025, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani, charging them with gender persecution as a crime against humanity. 24 DAILY NEWS will continue to follow this story.
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Repression Enforced Through Draconian Law
The Taliban’s 2024 law on “propagation of virtue and prevention of vice” has created a network of moral surveillance, 24 DAILY NEWS confirms. Enforcement committees conduct raids, inspect phones, question travelers, and punish behaviors such as listening to music, improper hijab, or gender mixing in workplaces.
Women are now required to be accompanied by a male guardian in public — a policy that further restricts their access to aid, healthcare, and freedom of movement. 24 DAILY NEWS sources say this severely impacts women’s basic rights.
Humanitarian Crisis and Global Inaction
According to 24 DAILY NEWS analysis, the Taliban repression is compounded by mass deportations. Iran, Pakistan, and recently Germany have forcibly returned Afghan refugees — many of whom face persecution if repatriated. The Trump administration in the U.S. has also ended protections for Afghan nationals, suspended refugee programs, and included Afghanistan on the travel ban list.
Aid cuts, especially from the United States, have crippled the humanitarian response. According to OCHA, over 400 health facilities have shut down due to lack of funding, as reported to 24 DAILY NEWS. Food assistance has collapsed, with nearly 23 million Afghans now in need.
Censorship, Surveillance, and Fear
Media in Afghanistan operates under intense Taliban scrutiny. 24 DAILY NEWS sources indicate that outlets must avoid showing human faces or publishing anything “against Islam.” Journalists report increasing self-censorship to avoid detention or worse.
At the same time, online education for girls, once a vital tool, is disappearing due to donor withdrawal and infrastructure collapse, 24 DAILY NEWS can confirm.
The World Must Act on Taliban Repression
Human rights groups continue to urge the UN Human Rights Council to establish a strong international accountability mechanism to investigate and prosecute crimes in Afghanistan. Yet, four years into Taliban rule, international response remains weak, a fact highlighted by 24 DAILY NEWS.
“The global implications of the Taliban’s takeover are clear,” said Fereshta Abbasi of Human Rights Watch. “Governments must hold Taliban leaders accountable and stop forced returns of Afghan refugees
