Afghanistan Roundup: Gender equality award, radio director jailed, drought

Finland Gender Equality Award

Mahbube Siraj, women's rights activist and executive director of the Women's Skills Training Center in Afghanistan, won the biennial Finland Gender Equality Award on December 11. The Finnish government said this award, which is accompanied by a donation of 300,000 euros, has been given to Mahbouba Siraj for her efforts in supporting women and creating safe shelters and jobs for them.

Taliban's reaction to drought

The Minister of “enjoining good and forbidding bad”
of the Taliban regime, in response to people's concerns about the continuation of the drought, ordered that people throughout Afghanistan pray for rain for three days. In the notification of the Ministry of Good and Prohibition of the Taliban regime which was issued on December 12, it is stated that people should come to pre-specified places on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 9:00 am and pray for rain.

Nasim Radio Afghanistan director jailed

The Taliban court in Daikundi, accused Sultan Ali Javadi, the director of Radio Nasim, the only free audio media in the central regions of Afghanistan (Bamiyan and Daikundi), of cooperating with media outside of Afghanistan, reflecting news of moral and administrative corruption of local Taliban officials, and cooperating with critics. He was sentenced to one year in prison. This sentence was delivered to Sultan Ali Javadi by the Taliban court in Nili city on Monday, December 11.

"Jihadist commander" killed

Unknown armed men killed one of the "jihadi commanders" in Herat province on Sunday evening, December 10. On Sunday evening, Mohammad Naeem Jamshidi was on his way to his home from the centre of Rabat Sangi in the north of Herat city, when he was shot by two motorcycle riders. According to Naeem Jamshidi's relatives, he was targeted along with one of the residents of Chahardare village and the said person survived. Naeem Jamshidi was active as the commander of popular uprising forces against the Taliban for many years.

"Afghan meeting" in Germany

The participants in the thirty-seventh "Afghan meeting" of the Evangelical Academy in the "Villigast" district criticized the policy of interaction with the Taliban and demanded a change in this approach. The "Afghan meeting" of the Evangelical Academy, which is held annually in Germany, was planned in the city of Shorte, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, entitled "Take the facts seriously, be responsible and strengthen communication" hosting representatives of the Taliban regime. Following criticism about the presence of a Taliban official in the city of Cologne, Willigst Evangelical Academy was pressured to cancel the trip of Taliban representatives to participate in the two-day conference "Afghanistan Session" and had to cancel their invitation.