Taliban minister confronted over women’s rights during rare press conference for female journalists

Taliban The Foreign Minister faced questions about the ban on education and work for Afghan girls and women as he sat down for a meeting rare press conference Event attended by women journalists in Delhi on Sunday.

Amir Khan Muttaqi, UN-approved leader and senior minister of the Taliban’s de facto regime Afghanistanclaimed that education for girls and women “does not exist”haram”, or declared prohibited under the laws governing Islam and postponed until the next order of the country’s religious leader Hibatullah Akhundzada.

Afghanistan is the only country in the world where the government bans the basic rights of girls and women, including appearing in public parks, gyms, mosques, markets and halls.

The Taliban’s restrictions on women and girls and freedom of expression have come under criticism from human rights groups and foreign governments since the former insurgents regained control of Afghanistan in 2021. Taliban officials have previously claimed they respect women’s rights in accordance with strict interpretations of Islamic law. But they also tightened controls on women’s access to public life, barring them from attending university and high school.

Speaking to a group of more than 50 journalists gathered at the Afghanistan embassy in the heart of India’s capital, Mr Muttaqi said: “We currently have 10 million students attending schools and other educational institutions, 2.8 million of whom are women and girls. In theological schools, this educational opportunity is available up to graduation level. There are certain limitations in certain departments, but this does not mean that we are against education.”

“We have not declared it ‘haram’ from a religious perspective, but it has been postponed until further notice,” he said, after being questioned about restricting the basic rights of almost half of Afghanistan’s population. He also claimed that Afghanistan is witnessing peace and all necessary changes will be implemented in time.

Journalists were not allowed to challenge the Taliban minister’s claims.

In the past, In videos shared on social media, female students chased by Taliban The government’s “evil and virtuous” personnel were at the doorstep of a famous university seeking entry. Afghan women were also flogged by the Taliban for protesting their right to education. Amnesty International said in a report: Afghan Women and girls were being destroyed by a “suffocating” oppression. Taliban since they came to power.

The controversial press conference was held just a day after the massive outrage. Taliban’s exclusion of female journalists From a men-only meeting for a press conference in Delhi on Friday.

Female journalists, including this reporter IndependentThose who gathered outside the Afghan embassy in Delhi on Friday were stopped from attending the event by security personnel and Delhi police officials despite numerous requests.

Mr Muttaqi said on Sunday that the women’s absence from the press conference was a “technical problem” and that the list of “selected journalists” was prepared in a short time.

The Taliban’s implementation of sharia rule in Afghanistan has been the main obstacle to their international recognition. Shortly after taking control of Kabul, they banned girls above the sixth grade from attending school and also banned women from attending colleges and universities.