KABUL — Mojtaba Mohammadi, a young civil rights activist, is being held in Taliban custody in Charikar after his deportation from Iran, his family said.
Mohammadi’s brother told KabulNow that he was arrested 20 days ago by Taliban intelligence agents in Parwan’s Bayan Olya area, shortly after returning from abroad, where he had joined protest activities against the Taliban.
Civil society groups and women’s protest movements have voiced grave concern, saying Mohammadi is being subjected to severe physical and psychological torture.
They are calling for his immediate and unconditional release.
His case is part of a broader pattern. Multiple reports document systematic abuses by the Taliban against activists, journalists, former officials, ex-soldiers, and media workers.
Afghans deported from Iran and Pakistan are considered especially vulnerable.
A recent UN report cites evidence of widespread torture, arbitrary detention, and threats against Afghans forcibly returned from those countries.
Although Taliban leaders have repeatedly proclaimed a general amnesty, rights groups say in practice there is little or no accountability or protection for returnees and dissidents.
Arbitrary detentions remain common, legal processes opaque, and allegations of torture pervasive.
