Taliban Minister: “If You Have a Problem, Come Like a Man”; Public Criticism Forbidden.
Mawlawi Abdul Kabir, Taliban Minister of Refugees and Repatriation, stated during a visit to Khost province: “If anyone has a problem, come like a man and tell the authorities.”
At the same time, he banned all public criticism of the Taliban regime, emphasizing that no one has the right to speak or act against the system.
This comes amid reports that, during Taliban rule, many critics have either been tortured and released or have died in detention.
Abdul Kabir added that complaints should be submitted directly to Taliban officials and not discussed publicly or in the media.
He claimed that the Taliban and the people are “partners” in the system and warned that no one will be allowed to protest or act against the Taliban anywhere “in the mountains, the air, or the streets.”
Human rights organizations note that over the past three years, civil protests, media criticism, and political dissent have been severely suppressed in Afghanistan.
Critics assert that Abdul Kabir’s statements reflect the Taliban’s security-oriented approach toward opposition voices.
His use of the phrase “come like a man” also highlights the group’s gender bias and systemic discrimination against women, restricting their education, work, and social freedoms, effectively excluding them from public life.
