Ezatullah Zawab
An Afghan poet, Ezatullah Zawab, has been held captive by the Taliban for over a month, raising concerns among his family and human rights advocates who perceive it as another attack on freedom of expression by the hard-line Islamist group.
Zawab’s family remains uninformed about his situation, and his son, Nusrat Arman, dismisses official claims that his father was detained for carrying alcohol, a violation strictly prohibited by the Taliban. Arman believes it is a conspiracy to silence Zawab through character assassination.
Supporters of Zawab assert that the actual reason for his arrest is the disapproval of the Taliban towards his literary magazine, Meena (“Love” in Pashto). The magazine published prose and poetry critical of life under Taliban rule, as Zawab is known for crafting satirical verse with political undertones.
Zarifa Ghafari, a rights campaigner, condemns the Taliban’s suppression of dissent, stating that the current political system in Afghanistan is dictatorial, and the Taliban silences anyone who raises a voice against it.
Significance: Zawab’s arrest highlights the Taliban’s increasing intolerance for dissent in all forms. Pashtun poets, traditionally less affected by Taliban oppression due to their popularity and distance from political factions, are now facing persecution as the Taliban tightens its grip on power.
Despite early assurances of a free press, the Taliban has imposed comprehensive censorship since returning to power in August 2021. Journalists, writers, and activists have been detained and tortured, leading many to flee the country. The Afghan media has significantly declined, with numerous outlets shut down and journalists facing mounting restrictions.
Looking Ahead: The Taliban is reinforcing a media environment that amplifies its views and serves its interests. The group has declared various forms of photography as un-Islamic, raising concerns about a potential complete ban on women working in or appearing on electronic media. As the Taliban replaces journalism with propaganda, the diminishing international interest in Afghanistan and restricted access make accurate reporting on Taliban-ruled Afghanistan increasingly challenging.
