Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —
Taliban reportedly whipped female protesters who voiced their protest against the new government Afghanistan because it does not involve women at all.
One of the women participating in the demonstration told CNN that the Taliban used whips to sticks to disperse a crowd gathered in Kabul on Wednesday (8/9).
“We are gathered here to protest the announcement of a government where there is no representation of women in that government,” the demonstrator said.
He later recalled that the Taliban “hit with whips and told us to go home and recognize and accept the Emirate. Why should we accept the Emirate, when no inclusion or rights were given to us?”
The woman then held up the poster she was carrying. The poster reads, “A cabinet without women is a loser. A loser.”
According to the demonstrators, the Taliban also arrested a number of journalists who covered the action. He also urged the Taliban to release the journalists.
“Men who came here to carry out their duties as journalists were arrested. Why should we allow that?” he said.
News site editor EtilaatRoz, Elyas Nawandish, also uploaded a number of photos showing two of his journalists were injured while covering the action.
“Taqi Daryabi and Neamat Naqdi, two reporters for @Etilaatroz were beaten after being captured by the Taliban. They said they were taken to a separate room and beaten by the Taliban. They are being taken to hospital for treatment,” Nawandish wrote on Twitter.
A journalist Los Angeles Times, Marcus Yam, also admitted that he had been threatened by the Taliban while covering the action in Kabul.
“When several people tried to detain me, there was one member who kept interrupting and at one point mumbled, ‘Stranger.’ There are a few others who are ready with the whip,” he wrote on Twitter.
Not only journalists and demonstrators, the Taliban are also said to have beaten teenagers who witnessed the protests.
“A 16-year-old boy who came out of the house for school, carrying a school bag, he was herded and beaten. He had bruises on his body as well as his hands. He ran away, but two or three Taliban chased him,” said another female protester.
This is not the first time the Taliban have resorted to violence to regulate action in Afghanistan. At the end of last week, the Taliban also reportedly beat up female demonstrators who staged a demonstration near the Presidential Palace.
Earlier this week, several people were also killed after the Taliban opened fire in the air to disperse crowds in Herat.
A female demonstrator at this rally also said that the Taliban’s stance was “proof that they can’t change.”
“We ask the international community, especially those who for the past 20 years have tried to give rights to women, where are the women’s rights defenders now?” he said.
(has/bac)
– .
