“The torture and terror of that moment are unforgettable … a black nightmare every night”

“I am 26 years old and was born into a conservative and traditional family in the male-dominated society of Afghanistan. After completing my studies and passing the university entrance exam with a score of 220, I succeeded in the field of management and accounting. However, due to the economic conditions of my family, which were moderate, we were unable to cover all our expenses, so we decided to migrate [to another province within Afghanistan].  

My family believed that women should not have the right to work outside the home. This belief sparked my first struggle – standing up against incorrect beliefs and trying to convince family members was a challenging task, but it was worth confronting these [misguided] beliefs. In the end, I managed to persuade my family and got permission to work outside.  

However, on 15 August 2021, everything changed, and all my hopes for the future turned to dust. 

Over the past two years of their rule, I protested five times. My first peaceful protest involved five girls and 40 boys, addressing the interference of neighbouring countries in Afghanistan’s internal affairs. The remaining protests were related to the reopening of schools and universities for girls and the right of women to work outside the home. 

With slogans like ‘A woman’s life’, ‘freedom’ and ‘death to the Taliban,’ we protested, but a tragic explosion occurred at the Kaaj School in western Kabul, where nearly 300 girl students lost their lives. In response, around 60 women and girls, including civil society activists, students and cultural activists, organized a protest to defend the blood of the Kaaj School martyrs in front of the Ministry of Education of Balkh Province. During this protest, many girls withdrew, for fear of being arrested by the Taliban. A limited number of us continued on our path.  

Unfortunately, we were arrested by the Taliban and imprisoned in the Department of Water Supply of Balkh Province. To prevent us from escaping, tear gas, electric shocks and lashes were used.