Sources in Kabul report the arrest of Faizullah Jalal, the Kabul University professor, and political expert.
He was arrested by the Taliban forces from his home in the Macroyan area, sources told Hasht-e Subh.
So far, the cause of the arrest is unknown, according to sources.
Earlier, Faizullah Jalal, a law professor at Kabul University, had sharply criticized the Taliban during a live TOLOnews discussion in Kabul on November 21, with Mohammad Naeem Wardak, spokesman for the Taliban’s political office in Qatar which part of Jalal’s speech had made headlines among social media users, who were worried about his life.
At that time, Faizullah Jalal sharply criticized the Taliban for their actions and called on them to reform themselves.
We call for the immediate release of professor Faizullah Jalal!
Jalal has been arrested by the Taliban in Kabul for making allegations against government departments. Jalal is an outspoken critic of the Taliban & advocate of women’s human rights. https://t.co/W29xDQR5cn
— WO=MEN, Dutch Gender Platform (@genderplatform) January 8, 2022
The Taliban admit to having arrested Faizullah Jalal, a professor at Kabul University. https://t.co/E4CRZjrNIh
#Flash: Taliban arrested Faizullah Jalal Kabul university lecturer from his house. Last month He harshly criticized the Taliban in a TV show. It looks Taliban will not tolerate criticism and freedom of speech anymore. pic.twitter.com/s9xgH0maSJ
— Mohammad Agha Ibrahimkhail (@M_Ibrahimkhail) January 8, 2022
Worrying news from #Afghanistan!! Faizullah Jalal, professor of Kabul university, brave outspoken & critic of Tali.ban who had spoken against the Tali.ban government recently in Kabul, was detained by Tali.ban forces in Kabul earlier today.#FreeProfessorJalal#FreedomOfSpeechpic.twitter.com/unOSsGcSFH
Former students of Professor Faizullah Jalal, a professor of law and political science at Kabul University, are telling @JURISTnews that he was arrested Saturday by Taliban authorities. https://t.co/vlSHo3LADD
Faizullah Jalal, a #Kabul Uni professor, who harshly criticized Talibs live on TV last Nov, has been detained for insulting “Islamic Emirate Leadership,” local media reports. Jalal was one of the few who dared to speak up against Talibs after the group’s return to power in Aug. pic.twitter.com/BIbM7Z5uAa
Amnesty International condemns the arrest of Professor Faizullah Jalal, Kabul university lecturer for exercising his freedom of expression and criticizing the Taliban on a TV show. We call on the Taliban authorities to immediately and unconditionally release him. #FreeJalalhttps://t.co/UgZ821qrTv
— Amnesty International South Asia (@amnestysasia) January 8, 2022
On 18 December 2021, human rights defender Mustafa Nili was released on eight billion IRR bail after spending more than four months under arbitrary detention in Evin prison, in Tehran.
On 14 August 2021, Iranian authorities arbitrarily arrested a group of seven human rights defenders, including Mustafa Nili, four other lawyers and one journalist, as they were preparing to file a complaint against the country’s National Task Force Against Coronavirus, the Minister of Health and other officials responsible for the mismanagement of the COVID-19 crisis.
Mustafa Nili is a human rights defender and lawyer, who has represented many political prisoners, including student union activists. He was arrested in December 2009 as a result of taking part in peaceful protests against the results of the 2009 presidential elections in Iran. In November 2010, Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court convicted the human rights defender to three years on the charge of “gathering and collusion to act against the national security” and an additional six months in prison on the charge of “propaganda against state”, due to him taking part in the protests and publishing critical content against violent crackdowns on the peaceful protests in 2009. Branch 54 of the Court of Appeals confirmed the prison sentences in April 2011 and consequently the defender served his sentence from 18 July 2011 to 18 November 2014.
Iranian lawyer #MustafaNili has been released on bail. Nili and 2 others were arrested in August just before filing a lawsuit against Iran’s supreme leader, president and health minister for negligence causing death as a result of their botched response to the COVID-19 pandemic. https://t.co/wO6DTmuQdL
14 Ağustos'ta Av.Mustafa Nili, Areş Keyhosrevi, Mehdi Mehmudiyan, Muhammed Rıza Fekihi, Leyla Heyderi ve Meryem Efraferaz #Tahran'ın Yurttaş Hakları Derneği Ofisinde Ali #Hamaney'den #İran yasaları çerçevesinde şikayet etme olasılığını inceledikleri için gözaltına alınmışlardı. pic.twitter.com/JWS3TOAXoe
#Iran trois avocats emprisonnés, Mes Mustafa Nili, Arash Kaykhosravi et Mehdi Mahmoudian , annoncent leur intention de poursuivre les plus hautes instances du pays pour méconnaissance manifeste des prescriptions sanitaires à l'occasion de la crise #COVID19https://t.co/e2H6oq1pEr
IAPL Monitoring Committee on Attacks on Lawyers 