By Muzhda Mohammadi
On the fourth anniversary of Afghanistan’s fall to the Taliban, videos on social media showed two women posting slogans on walls in Kabul in Farsi and English branding it a “dark day for Afghanistan” and offering “condolences for chained freedom”.
They were taking an enormous risk. Over the past four years, the Taliban have brutally suppressed non-violent street protests using arrests, torture and mistreatment. Detainees have been subjected to sexual assault and violence, according to Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan.
But it’s a risk they felt compelled to take.
One of the women (we are calling her Noria, though that’s not her real name) said she felt she had a “moral duty” to stand up to oppression. “By doing this, I showed that we are not victims,” she told Rukhshana Media. “We don’t stay silent out of fear — we become our own voices, with awareness.”
Noria is part of a protest movement that calls itself Ray of Hope for Afghanistan.The posters were not her first act of dissent; she had previously participated in indoor protests. But this one was different because it was so public.
“My heart was pounding as we put up the posters. I was terrified that the Taliban might catch and imprison us, or that we might be recognised through security cameras,” she said.
Both inside and outside the country, Afghan women are raising their voices against the Taliban’s systematic violations of women’s rights.
This month, Afghan women gave testimony at a tribunal in Madrid set up to assess charges that the Taliban is committing gender persecution – a crime against humanity under international law.
Over two days, the People’s Tribunal for Women of Afghanistan heard from more than 20 women survivors of the Taliban’s gender-based crimes, denial of education, bans on political and civic participation, and prohibition of women’s employment.
While the tribunal has no formal powers, it is recognised internationally and could pave the way for future prosecutions, according to Mohammad Amin Fayeq, a former prosecutor in the office of the Afghan attorney general.
“Although held outside formal judicial frameworks, the People’s Tribunal can play a complementary role where official mechanisms are absent. It lays the groundwork for future prosecutions and accountability efforts,” he said.
Among the witnesses was Parwana Ebrahimkhil Najrabi, who was imprisoned by the Taliban for protesting. She said it was important for survivors to speak, especially given that many cannot.
“It was a strange feeling,” she said. “On the one hand, I relived the pain and trauma of what happened to me; on the other, I felt a sense of power, because I knew there were many others who suffered as I did, but no one had spoken for them.”
Evidence for the tribunal was compiled by four civil and human rights organisations — Rawadari, the Afghanistan Human Rights and Democracy Organisation (AHRDO), the Research and Development Institute and the Human Rights Defenders Forum.
Witnesses were invited to testify according to the list of gender-based crimes: deprivation of the rights of education, prohibition from civic participation and violations of the right to work.
It marked the first time since the Taliban’s return that verified testimonies from across Afghanistan were gathered into a formal indictment, said Azada Razmohammad, one of the tribunal’s prosecutors.
“We had testimonies from Kandahar, Bamiyan, Kabul, and remote areas, showing how widespread the Taliban’s crimes are. Women spoke of imprisonment, torture, and rights violations at the hands of the Taliban,” Razmohammad said.
Organisers contacted the witnesses, sent them consent forms, and asked whether they wished to testify in writing, in person, or via audio recordings, said the head of Rawadari, Shaharzad Akbar.
“Hearing the direct voices and stories of victims had a strong impact on public opinion. It’s human and natural to respond emotionally to the voices of others,” she said. “There were questions and criticisms, but overall, the response has been positive — it has drawn more attention than formal resolutions or statements.”
The tribunal invited the Taliban to attend and respond to the allegations, but received no response.
Judges will make their final ruling on December 10, and Akbar said the tribunal’s impact will depend on how its findings are used.
“Pressuring the Taliban through this tribunal won’t be easy,” she said. “Human rights institutions worldwide must submit the indictment and the verdict to parliaments and governments, urging them to avoid any unconditional engagement with the Taliban and to demand the removal of restrictions on women’s rights.”
While the situation for women and girls in Afghanistan remains dire, efforts to provide accountability are gathering.
In July, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani for crimes against humanity. And on October 6, the UN Human Rights Council passed a resolution creating an independent accountability mechanism for Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, women like Noria keep finding ways to be heard, from their homes to the streets. Many have been arrested and imprisoned, but they have not been silenced.
“Before me, many girls protested on the streets and arrested and jailed. Now, those very women are sharing their stories at the tribunal,” she said. “We fought for four years inside Afghanistan, and our voices weren’t heard; now we hope that at least the voices raised abroad will reach the world.”
