Afghan Women’s Movement Condemns Taliban Rule as “New Era of Suffering”
KABUL, Afghanistan — On the third anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power, the Purple Saturdays Movement, a prominent women’s rights group in Afghanistan, issued a scathing statement condemning the Taliban regime for plunging the country into an unprecedented era of suffering and repression. The statement followed protest gatherings in Takhar, Balkh, Panjshir, and Kabul, where citizens expressed their outrage at the dire state of the nation under Taliban rule.
The movement’s statement paints a grim picture of Afghanistan’s trajectory since the Taliban’s takeover, describing the past three years as marked by “crimes against humanity, gender apartheid against women, war crimes, widespread violations of citizens’ basic rights, killing of innocent people, forced displacement, public floggings, summary executions, ideological indoctrination, and instilling fear.” These actions, the movement asserts, have set the country back by decades—a regression that will take years to reverse.
The Purple Saturdays Movement did not mince words in its assessment of how Afghanistan fell into Taliban hands, accusing international actors of making a “disgraceful deal” that facilitated the Taliban’s return to power. The statement went on to criticize the Taliban’s harsh treatment of women and girls, highlighting the group’s efforts to normalize violence and suppression under the guise of enforcing Afghan culture and Islamic principles. The movement particularly denounced the Taliban’s use of kidnapping, assault, and sexual violence—especially against women protesters in Taliban prisons—to silence dissent.
In addition to addressing the human rights abuses, the statement condemned the Taliban’s indifference to Afghanistan’s worsening international isolation, which has deepened poverty and unemployment across the country. The movement also accused the Taliban of embezzling international aid, exploiting national resources, and failing to address the needs of millions of impoverished Afghans, particularly women and children. Instead, the movement claims, the Taliban have focused on promoting their ideology, establishing jihadist schools, and supporting terrorist groups financially.
The statement concluded with a strong condemnation of the Taliban’s creation of an “gender-exclusive government.” The movement criticized the Taliban’s rejection of elections as a “Western concept,” while falsely claiming their government to be inclusive.
As the country marks the third anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power, reactions have been widespread. Political figures, human rights activists, and women’s rights defenders have labeled August 15 as a “black day in Afghanistan’s history,” reflecting the deepening despair and disillusionment among Afghan citizens.
In stark contrast, the Taliban celebrated August 15 as a “day of victory,” commemorating the fall of the republic and their rise to power. However, for many Afghans, particularly women, this day symbolizes the beginning of their exclusion from political and social life, and the imposition of a regime that has brought untold suffering and repression to the nation.
