A prominent Afghan professor has been arrested for defrauding the Taliban | Stories

The arrest of Faizullah Jalal fears that the Taliban will re-impose stricter laws on free speech.

A well-known professor at the University of Afghanistan and an outspoken critic of the Taliban leadership has been arrested in Kabul.

Faizullah Jalal, a former professor of law and politics at the University of Kabul, has appeared several times in radio broadcasts since the US-led ouster in August, blaming the Taliban for the escalating economic crisis and criticizing them for their coercive rule. .

In a video presentation, Jalal called Taliban spokesman Mohammad Naeem a “cowboy”, an insult to Afghanistan. Pictures of his criticism were circulated on television, sparking fears of retaliation.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid wrote on Twitter that Jalal was arrested on Saturday by a Taliban intelligence group for his comments on television as he “tried to force people to take part in the protest and to play with human dignity”.

He adds: “She was arrested for trying to seduce a minor with the reputation of being a professor or an academic who takes a stand for what is right.

Mujahid shared photos of the tweets he said were sent by Jalal, who said the Taliban ‘wise man was a Pakistani man, and that the new government saw Afghan people as “donkeys”.

Aamaj News reported that the account referred to by Mujahid, @ UstadJalal1, was fake. The professor wrote on Twitter Saturday from his official Twitter page, @JalalFaizullah, criticizing the account claiming to be him.

Please say @ UstadJalal1 account. This is a fake account and does not belong to Professor Faizullah Jalal.

– Dr. Faizullah Jalal (@JalalFaizullah) January 8, 2022

Jalal’s wife, Massouda, who fought against former President Hamid Karzai in 2004 as the first woman in Afghanistan to become president, posted on Facebook that her husband had been arrested by Taliban militants and detained in an undisclosed location.

“Dr Jalal has fought for the cause and speaks for the justice and interest of the country in all its human rights activities,” he said.

TOLO TV, Afghanistan’s largest radio station where Faizuallah Jalal was a frequent commentator, tweeted that Jalal had been arrested “for allegedly slandering government departments,” security officials said.

Freedom of speech

Amnesty International has condemned the teacher’s arrest “for exercising his right to freedom of expression and criticism of the Taliban” and has called for his immediate and indefinite release.

Amnesty International condemns the arrest of Professor Faizullah Jalal, a lecturer at Kabul University for using his freedom of speech and criticizing Taliban on TV. We call on the Taliban authorities to release him immediately and without delay. #FreeJalal https://t.co/UgZ821qrTv

– Amnesty International South Asia (@amnestysasia) January 8, 2022

Patricia Gossman, co-founder of Human Rights Watch in Asia, responded after hearing about Twitter’s arrest: “Because in the Taliban there is no right to protest or protest. The repressive regimes do not protest.”

In an earlier tweet on Sunday, Jalal’s daughter Hasina Jalal pleaded for her father’s release. “I urge the Taliban to release my father immediately,” he said.

It has been six hours since my father, Professor Jalal, was arrested, and since then, we have not been able to locate him. I ask the Taliban to release my father immediately. Please join my singing. #FreeProfessorJalal #FreeJalal @hrw @POTU @unafghanistan @SecBlinken

– Hasina Jalal (@HasinaJalal) January 8, 2022

The Taliban made the decision cabinet for all men made entirely by members of the group, as well as almost only the Pashtuns tribes.

They have also banned it women’s right to travel, employment and education, which have led to widespread criticism around the world.

US-led sanctions against the Taliban government have stalled the most important international support in Afghanistan, which is facing a major humanitarian crisis. The United Nations has warned that 90 percent of the country’s 38 million people need help.

The arrests could also lead to a disruption of humanitarian work because it fuels fears that the Taliban are enforcing a law that is as brutal and oppressive as it was last since 1996-2001.