Mujahid says UNAMA report presents negative image of Afghanistan — Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has criticised UNAMA’s latest human rights report, saying its portrayal of Afghanistan contradicts the UN mission’s principle of neutrality and calling for assessments based on verified information and objective facts. On October 15, UNAMA released its quarterly report on Afghanistan’s human rights situation, covering the period from July 1 to September 30, 2026. The report documented 443 cases of what it described as “arbitrary” arrests and detentions by officials of the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, along with 97 incidents of alleged “ill-treatment” involving women and men. According to the report, the arrests were primarily related to women’s hijab regulations, men’s beard and hairstyle requirements, failure to attend congregational prayers, and playing or listening to music. In a post on his X account, Mujahid criticized UNAMA for characterizing the arrests of alleged violators by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice and other Islamic Emirate institutions as “arbitrary.” He maintained that the arrests were carried out in accordance with applicable laws and regulations to prevent conduct deemed contrary to Sharia and to promote the reform of individuals. He also argued that governments in other countries carry out similar arrests. Mujahid questioned why UNAMA’s report did not acknowledge what he described…