Taliban ban demonstrations amid international echo of women's protests

The Taliban have gone on the counteroffensive.

Aware of the international echo of the small, but persistent and courageous, women's protests, this Wednesday they have made the demonstrations illegal, unless a permit is obtained.

At the same time, his propagandists spread images of female students of Islamic schools and seminaries expressing their support for the new regime.

Their reaction highlights the difficulties they face in dealing with dissent from an urban and educated population.

More information

• A protest in Kabul, shot down by the Taliban

The head of the multimedia department of the Culture Commission, Ahmadullah Muttaqi, has posted on his Twitter account videos and photographs of a demonstration of madrasa students "in support of the Islamic system and the happiness of respecting the

hijab"

, in Kunduz, north of Afghanistan.

?

- Ahmadullah Muttaqi (@ Ahmadmuttaqi01) September 8, 2021

But their enthusiasm does not overshadow the concern that the protests that Afghan women have carried out in different cities of the country to demand that their rights be respected among Taliban leaders.

In Herat and Kabul they even called for them to be included in the government, something that was completely buried with the announcement on Tuesday of the first Cabinet.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has said that only “peaceful” and authorized demonstrations are allowed.

"Not what is happening now, with insulting language against the leaders of the Islamic Emirate and other provocations to encourage the confrontation, record it and post it on social networks."

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A women's march in the Dasht-e Barchi neighborhood was initially stopped by several Taliban militants, but finally authorized to continue.

However, several journalists present have been beaten and the Euronews envoy has denounced the arrest of her facilitator when requesting permission to record.

My fixer has been detained by the Taliban while asking for permission to film a protest in Kabul.

We weren't filming or interviewing anyone, we were simply asking for permission.

We request Taliban officials release him immediately.

#Afghanistan

- Anelise Borges (@AnneliseBorges) September 8, 2021

Fearful perhaps that a protest like the one on the previous day would be reproduced, the center of Kabul was this Wednesday morning completely taken by the forces of the Taliban.

They were perfectly uniformed standing guard at all major street crossings and also frequent patrols in

pick-up

vans

.

On Tuesday, several hundred Afghans, women and men, voiced their support for the resistance and accused Pakistan of aiding the fundamentalists.

The Taliban disbanded them by firing into the air.

At least two cameramen for each Afghan television network were arrested for covering them.

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