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Some Afghan women demonstrated Thursday, December 22 in Kabul once morest the Taliban regime which forbids them to study at university. Some female protesters have been arrested while several male teachers have resigned, calling on their colleagues across the country to do the same.
With our regional correspondent, Sonia Ghezali
« Education is our right, don’t take it away “, chant a few dozen young women while walking in a district of Kabul. In the videos they share on social media, they are seen holding up leaves on which they have written by hand: we demand our fundamental rights ” or ” help afghan girls ».
The Taliban have used barbed wire and armed guards to prevent Afghan women from entering universities. Yet, despite the intimidation, they protest alongside brave Afghan men, demanding women and girls be given their basic rights pic.twitter.com/cL8vZedI3w
— Yalda Hakim (@BBCYaldaHakim) December 21, 2022
After a few minutes, the Taliban disperse the group. One of the demonstrators confided on condition of anonymity: The Taliban did not allow us to continue. They arrested four protesters, only two have since been released. There were also policewomen with the Taliban. They started hitting us ».
« Kill me, education is more important than my life »
One of the arrested women managed to send a video recorded in the police pickup without the knowledge of the Taliban. ” Why did you close the universities ? “Launches a protester. “ Why are you taking us to the police station? asks another. ” I swear to kill you right here », Threatens a man. ” Kill me, education is more important than my life. If you want to kill us, why didn’t you do it on the street? retorts a woman.
The relatives of these two demonstrators are still without news. This Thursday evening, in a television interview, the acting Afghan Minister of Higher Education justified the closure of universities to girls by, among other things, the non-respect of the wearing of the hijab by female students and the insufficient segregation of the sexes in the universities.
► To read also: Women in Afghanistan: back to hell under the yoke of the Taliban
