Amnesty International Calls for Immediate Release of Afghan Educator Wazir Khan
Amnesty International has called for the immediate release of Wazir Khan, a 25-year-old Afghan educator and activist who was arrested by the Taliban on February 24, 2025. The organization, in a statement on Wednesday (March 5), urged the Taliban to free him without delay.
According to Wazir Khan’s family, Taliban officials raided his home in the Butkhak area of Kabul and took him to an undisclosed location. His current whereabouts remain unknown, and no official statement has been issued by the Taliban regarding his arrest.
For several years, Wazir Khan has been running a non-profit organization called Today Child, which campaigns for children’s education in remote areas of Afghanistan. His work has primarily focused on promoting education for children under 12 years old, including girls, in alignment with the Taliban’s limited allowances for female education under Sharia law.
His arrest follows Taliban crackdowns on education activists, particularly those advocating for girls’ education. In March 2023, the Taliban detained prominent educator Matiullah Wesa for 215 days, during which he reportedly faced severe torture.
Human rights activists and organizations have condemned Wazir Khan’s arrest, warning that the Taliban’s actions threaten the future of education in Afghanistan. The international community continues to monitor the situation closely, calling for his immediate and unconditional release.
