KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Taliban intelligence agents in Balkh province have detained Hamid Ansari, a civil activist and university lecturer, over allegations of receiving funds from the UN mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), local sources reported.
Relatives of Mr. Ansari told KabulNow that he was taken into custody more than a month ago and that they have not been allowed to see him since. His current condition and whereabouts remain unknown, raising concerns among his family and colleagues.
Mr. Ansari has been active in promoting education, peace, and civic engagement in northern Afghanistan. He also teaches at a private university in Balkh and has been involved with Mediothek Afghanistan, an organization dedicated to education and peacebuilding initiatives, according to local sources.
Taliban authorities in Balkh have not commented on the arrest.
Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban have repeatedly detained, interrogated, and in some cases tortured activists, human rights defenders, critics, and journalists across the country. Many of those targeted have been accused of spying for foreign organizations, supporting women’s rights, or criticizing Taliban policies.
Rights groups say the Taliban is using arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances to silence critics of its repressive policies.
