KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A teacher in central Afghanistan has been sentenced to seven years in prison and 35 lashes by a Taliban court for alleged anti-regime activities on social media, according to local sources.
Sulaiman Sami, an educator from Yakawlang district in Bamyan, had been teaching in a school in the Punjab district.
Sources, speaking to KabulNow on Wednesday under the condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation, said that Sami’s ordeal began on March 25 last year, when Taliban intelligence forces, led by an official identified as Ahmadi, stormed his home in a midnight raid. Sami was forcibly arrested and held in detention for several months.
Sources claimed that Ahmadi initially demanded US$5,000 for Sami’s release. When the demand was not met, Sami was subjected to severe torture.
These sources added that the beatings left him in critical condition, forcing his transfer to a hospital where doctors managed to save his life. Photographs of Sami’s injuries and subsequent treatment, shared with KabulNow, depict the horrifying extent of the abuse.
Despite a promise from the Taliban governor of Bamyan, Abdullah Sarhadi, to release Sami following his recovery, he was sent back to prison.
A Taliban court later convicted Sami of running an anonymous Facebook page used to criticize the regime and “defame local Taliban figures.” His arrest reportedly came after complaints and assistance from local informants.
Human rights advocates have called for Sami’s immediate release, saying his case highlights the Taliban’s escalating crackdown on dissent, marked by arbitrary arrests and brutal repression of those deemed critics of the regime.
Despite repeated attempts by family members and local elders to secure his release, their pleas to the Taliban governor have gone unanswered.
The family’s attempts to advocate for Sami’s freedom have not only been futile but have also invited threats. Sources stated that the Taliban’s intelligence unit warned the family they would face imprisonment if they continued their appeals.
The teacher’s family has been left destitute during his imprisonment. His father, who is blind, struggles to provide for the family amidst poverty and hardship.
While Sami’s case has drawn condemnation, the Taliban has denied any wrongdoing. Sabor Farzan Sighani, spokesperson for the Taliban governor in Bamyan, dismissed the reports of Sami’s arrest and sentencing as “rumors” but offered no further explanation.
