Taliban forces arrested Faizullah Jalal, a university professor and political analyst, in the Makrorian area of Kabul on Saturday (January 8th). His family members told the media that Taliban forces mistreated him when arresting the political analyst. Faizullah Jalal had previously had a verbal argument with a Taliban spokesman on a television program. Most citizens at the time predicted that the Taliban would not tolerate his treatment and might take action against him.
The Taliban government did not initially respond to reports of Jalal’s arrest, but Zabihullah Mujahid later confirmed the news. In a tweet, he called Faizullah Jalal a “fanatic” and posted screenshots of his tweets, saying that Faizullah Jalal had been arrested for posting “nonsense” on social media. According to Mujahid, Jalal incited “the people against the Taliban regime” and made fun of “the honor of the people.” The Taliban spokesman said that this was done so that no one else would commit “such nonsense, defamation, and desecration of human beings” from the address of a professor and a scientist.
The arrest of Faizullah Jalal met with a wave of reactions. Most Twitter users took the first step toward a Twitter account cited by a Taliban spokesman. Then it turned out that this account was fake. Amnesty International later called for the immediate release of Jalal. However, Taliban forces did not release him from custody until Sunday morning.
The fact is that Faizullah Jalal always appears in the media as a critic, but previous governments never arrested him. His arrest indicates that the Taliban do not tolerate dissent. While the Taliban need to gain legitimacy, they still do not understand the dos and don’ts of governance. Governments must be open to criticism. These criticisms must be addressed and otherwise accepted from the citizens’ point of view. The use of violence to silence citizens is never the solution, but rather strengthens the dictatorship of the system and deepens the gaps in society.
The Taliban-led government did not understand the current situation in Afghanistan. The Taliban government is currently grappling with a crisis of internal and external legitimacy. Therefore, they are only exacerbating their problems. Their government’s every move is being scrutinized by the world. Respect for human rights is part of the demands of countries to recognize the Taliban and help Afghanistan. Given this principle, it is clear that the international community will never cope with the silence of its citizens.
The Taliban government has to release Faizullah Jalal in honor of the petition of human rights defenders and citizens. They must change their approach to the criticism of the citizens. Accepting the views of citizens and addressing their grievances is part of a government’s responsibility. Even in cases where citizens are very harsh, the government must be flexible enough to accept criticism and gain the support of the citizen. If there is a problem, it should be resolved amicably. The Taliban must realize that any sensitive move in the current situation will further damage their reputation at home and abroad. The Taliban government should not widen the gaps.